Co-op Warm Spaces Funding Boost has provided £690 of match funding
Open House
Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Aim
To offer a place of welcome and safety to those in need of company, warmth and food.
Who are we?
Open House (run by Grace Church Stoke on Trent), is a safe and warm space open to anyone on a Wednesday evening between 7pm - 9pm. We provide company, activities, hot & cold drinks, soup & bread, snacks, clothes, sleeping bags and toiletries for local people.
Community impact
The cost of living crisis has affected everyone but for many the cost of living crisis has meant they are unable to heat their home and feed themselves. For anyone in our local community who finds themselves in this position, they are able to come along on a Wednesday evening to enjoy a warm space and get something to eat as well as play games and spend time with others.
Why are we crowdfunding?
We have been running Open House for a number of years, initially starting it after finding there was a need for many of our Foodbank guests to have a space where they could be with others and have a meal. This provision ran alongside our Foodbank for a while until we opened Open House as a separate project after the Covid19 pandemic. Now, the need for this provision is greater than ever with the current cost of living crisis. Keeping our own building warm is costing a huge amount more than ever before, but we are committed to offering this warm space for those in need. As well as the hot food we provide on a Wednesday evening, it is becoming apparent that many are struggling for food day in, day out so we would like to to give our guests some food to take away with them for the following day.
We are crowdfunding to raise money to keep our building warm and safe over winter as our bills increase. We would also like to buy extra food to give to our guests during the winter months until the end of March. (With the aim to extend this permanently if possible)
How we'll spend the money raised
We plan to use the money to buy the food to give to guests for them to take away with them.
We also want to use some of the money to help pay our utility bill, which is far bigger than we have ever know. It is important to us that we are able to keep the building warm for our guests.
£300 towards increased heating bills - £100 a month (Jan, Feb & March)
£300 towards purchasing food for take home food bags. £100 a month (Jan, Feb & March)
This project successfully funded on 3rd February 2023