Warm hubs across Coventry/Warwickshire this Winter

Aim

To provide places for disadvantaged communities where young & old can drop in for a free/cheap drink & meal in a warm & safe community space

Our charity Together for Change exists to tackle poverty across our sub-region, and during the pandemic provided thousands of food hampers to families in need.  The Cost of Living  Crisis means that many of more of us are struggling to pay for essential food and heating.  Rather than simply giving out hampers, we and our partners are now providing hot food and drinks in various Warm Hub locations set up across Coventry and Warwickshire. These partners are grass roots organisations we've worked with before, who  have teams of volunteers in place and a track record serving those of the margins of our society.  As of December we have a dozen or more places that have joined in with us so far, serving across Coventry and Warwickshire.  

Our warm hubs include some places which been empty for some time, or closed during COVID lockdowns, but have been brought back into community use.  Some are church halls or community centres. These are places where people can drop in to keep warm this winter, have food (such as community lunches), make friends over hot drinks, and make new friends. Our network of winter warm hubs across our sub-region includes places in Hillfields, Radford, Willenhall,  Wyken, Stoke Aldermoor and Foleshill in Coventry.  Also, others in Nuneaton, Bedworth, Rugby, and rural areas. 

Below is a photo of one of our team collecting low-cost food for our warm hub which is already running in Nuneaton.

Saints is our charity's youth & families hub right in the centre of town, which we have recently fitted out with a kitchen, together with display fridges and drinks cabinets (donated by local business that were otherwise getting rid of them).  The cafe operates a pay-it-forward scheme to cater for those who can't afford to pay.  Our student lounge offers children food and drinks.  We are also launching breakfast for pensioners for £1.50.  

In Coventry, churches like St Francis of Assisi in Radford are providing a warm space. They buzz with activities, and are open every day of the week, from 9am-3pm.  

St Catherine's in Coventry has been running a Food Bank, and this winter is providing a safe warm space for people of all ages.  Rev. Buff Stone says ''we have a youth cafe, Stay and Play and Family groups as well as afternoon tea which is aimed at older people. We can provide free hot drinks each time  and a cheap meal at some sessions for our disadvantaged community''. Below is a picture of a community lunch held there earlier this year.  

 For example, at St John the Divine in Willenhall (one of the poorest parishes in Coventry) the warm space will be open weekdays in the morning as follows:-
Mondays Stay & Play with tea & toast
Tuesdays small group breakfast of families
Thursdays WOW womens group with breakfast
Friday brunch drop in

Below is part of the space recently set aside at the former St Peters Centre in Hillfields for its warm hub.  The Centre ceased trading during the pandemic, but has been reopened this year by the church, though people of many faiths find a warm welcome here.  A key focus for the coming year will be providing a safe place for youth after school.   

Our growing network of Warm Hubs includes spaces in more rural parts of Warwickshire and former mining communities of North Warwickshire.   ‘Open Door’ Community Cafe in Budbrooke includes weekly groups including parents and children’s groups. There are drop-in sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays, which operate on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis:-  

St Paul's Cosy Community in Stockingford is open 12-3pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. We offer a "warm space and warm welcome" to anyone who needs warmth or companionship over the winter months. In the parish centre, we are providing free hot drinks and toast/sandwiches, a laptop and information wall so people can access support and information to help with the cost-of-living crisis, free wifi, free phone charging, crafts, books, board games and toys for our younger visitors. We also have a coat exchange to allow people to donate or take a winter coat.

In Tile Hill the church of St Oswalds aims to be open every day from 9am-4pm for the local community.  This will include a new warm space providing free meals on a Tuesday.  

Some of these hubs will also offer money advice (through specialist agencies like CAB and CAP), cooking on a budget (including slow cookery course).  Our clients include Care Leavers for whom we have laid on courses in budgeting, to help them become financially independent.    

The money we raised through crowdfunding will go towards covering the cost of these warm spaces, contributing to the cost of food and keeping the heating on for our visitors.  

This project successfully funded on 18th January 2023