Connecting communities throughout Warwickshire & Solihull

WRCC’s Warm Hubs project, supported by Cadent, brings residents together and supports communities to tackle social isolation and fuel poverty, plus related cost of living issues, throughout Warwickshire and Solihull. Our charity works with parish councils, village hall committees, community centres and other volunteer groups to create inclusive, community led Warm Hubs, running activities that encourage people to come together in safe, warm, welcoming places.

Cadent the UK’s largest gas distribution network – and funders of WRCC’s Warm Hubs project since November 2020 – offers a range of practical tips and suggestions to help you minimise energy use, save money and protect the environment. These include adding your details to the Priority Services Register and help with maximising your income by using the Turn2Us Benefits Calculator to check anonymously what benefits you may be entitled to. You can also use Cadent’s IE Hub budgetary tool to help you manage your household finances and budget effectively.

Find out how to protect yourself against poisonous carbon monoxide.  If you smell gas, immediately call Cadent via the free 24-hour emergency service line: 0800 111999.

Should your gas supply become interrupted due to a suspected CO leak, Cadent also provides Services Beyond the Meter, which can help those in a financially vulnerable position.

Cadent also offer a wide range of other support and advice. Details can be found on our Energy Advice and Additional Support Page.

Residents living in villages and semi-rural areas in particular are often disproportionally affected by lack of access to social events and amenities, poor public transport and fuel costs. Although four years on, communities are still recovering from the effects of Covid on social networks and interaction, followed by the rapidly increasing costs of living.

WRCC provides support via our network of 30 permanent, accredited Warm Hubs run by local community volunteers. We organise energy themed events, pop-up PSR information presentations, and promote energy efficiency and cost saving measures to help people stay safe and warm at home. We also provide free energy information packs and carbon monoxide alarms.

Our latest initiatives include slow cooking courses – further details can be found here, and we are able to distribute free slow cookers to those in need.

Check out our latest Warm Hubs news here.

We collaborate with a wide range of organisations to support our Warm Hubs network, including WCC, District/Borough Councils in Warwickshire, Solihull MBC, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, CAVA, Act on Energy, Centre for Sustainable Energy and National Energy Action.

We also help Warm Hubs to signpost people to appropriate support, which could include Citizens Advice, Community Foodbanks and Pantries, MIND, NHS prescribers, Family Information Services, Healthwatch Warwickshire, Dementia Friends, local carers support groups and many more.

You can find out more about Warm Hubs in Warwickshire and Solihull in these pages, and check where your nearest hub is on our online map. You can also discover more about our slow cooking courses, the digital skills courses we organised last winter, our latest news and materials to help you if you’re currently running a hub, reports on our Winter Warm Hub initiatives, and also a page on energy advice and related resources.