Welcome to a Warm Hub near you this Winter

Photo (clockwise from left): online map of WRCC’s network of Warm Hubs and Winter Warm Hubs; Alderminster residents enjoying coffee and a chat in the Village Hall; a friendly welcome at White Hart Community Fridge, Atherstone; and an energetic seated Pilates session at Wolvey Village Hall

Visit www.wrccrural.org.uk/warm-hubs-network to find your local hub and opening times.

There’s so much happening across Warwickshire and Solihull this winter with nearly 80 Warm Hubs and Winter Warm Hubs to date in WRCC’s Warm Hubs network!  All are warm, welcoming places where people can go to meet up with neighbours and make new friends.  Each hub offers different activities and refreshments, which could be free coffee/tea and cake, or soup and a roll, or even a hot meal.

Some organise seated exercise sessions, short mat bowls or zumba, arts and crafts activities, bingo or board games – or just the chance to settle down with a good book and free wifi.  Seasonal Winter Warm Hubs run up to the end of March 2024 whereas permanent Warm Hubs in the network provide a warm welcome to attendees all year round.

With well over 10,000 visits to hubs already being made this winter, community charity WRCC is delighted that so many dedicated volunteers, organisations and venues are again coming together to support residents during another difficult winter.  One Warm Hub regular calls their hub their “happy place” and another says, “if I don’t go it feels like there’s something missing from my week!”

As well as companionship – and of course the chance to save money by switching the heating off at home for a few hours – people can also call into their local hub to get information on saving money on energy and accessing extra support during the cost of living crisis. All hubs are provided with free resource packs and carbon monoxide alarms and there’s a comprehensive list of downloadable resources and information available at www.wrccrural.org.uk/energy-advice-additional-support.

“Warm Hubs are sociable places at the heart of their local communities”, said Jackie Holcroft, WRCC Warm Hubs Project Manager.  “We’ve been running this project, supported by Cadent, since November 2020 to help communities affected by the “double whammy” of Covid lockdown and the cost of living crisis.

We know these hubs are really important for people’s happiness and wellbeing, as well as being places where they can access practical advice and support if needed.  It can be easy to become overwhelmed at times and not know where to turn for help – and that’s when a cup of coffee and a friendly chat can make all the difference for someone, especially on a cold winter’s day.”

Citizens Advice, Act on Energy, Family Information Services, Warwickshire Healthwatch and the Fire and Rescue Service are just a few of the community support services and organisations which visit WRCC’s network of hubs. Energy advice and additional information resources and

The British Motor Museum are also visiting hubs again this winter, as are Warwickshire Libraries Service with their Tea & Tech sessions, and WRCC also offers a programme of free training to all hub organisers – eg becoming a Community Energy Champion, safeguarding and risk management, first aid etc – to help them support those attending and provide signposting for people needing more specialist help.

And hubs are always happy to hear from volunteers, so why not get in touch with your local hub if you could help out?

To find out more, email WRCC’s friendly Warm Hubs team or call them on 01789 842182.