Warm, welcoming spaces that were set up across Plymouth as part of the city’s response to the cost of living crisis have brought communities together and offered a friendly space for hundreds of people to spend time in this winter.
Plymouth’s local warm spaces map was created in October 2022 and since then, more than 70 venues have registered via the cost of living online hub on the Plymouth City Council website.
The warm spaces on offer across the city have included churches, libraries, wellbeing hubs, community centres and cafes.
A survey of organisations running the spaces revealed that they have been used by an average of 15 to 30 people per session. The survey also showed that for many attendees, meeting other people, spending time with others and accessing useful advice and support services were some of the most important reasons for using a warm space.
As a result, a number of venues have decided to keep operating as open and welcoming community spaces throughout the year.
Councillor Rebecca Smith, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Homes and Communities said: “We were overwhelmed with the show of support from organisations across Plymouth when we set up the warm spaces map. It is fantastic to now see the legacy of this project which has sparked the creation of community spaces where everyone is welcome and that will continue to operate, even as the weather gets warmer.
“Our heartfelt thanks go to the many volunteers who gave up their own time to run warm spaces throughout the winter, and all the staff at organisations and charities who have gone above and beyond to offer support to our residents at these sessions. Your kindness and generosity has clearly had a huge impact, bringing people together at a difficult time and helping to build a sense of community which is so important.”
The Council was able to fund 19 of the warm spaces on offer in the city with £54,000 of the Government’s Household Support Fund, enabling these spaces to stay open for longer and to offer refreshments and even cooking facilities in some locations.
Argyle Community Trust ran a warm space over the winter at Manadon Sports Hub, and now plan to continue the offer with a weekly community café. Nick Ioannidou, Manadon Hub Manager said: “Opening as a warm space has given us the opportunity to engage with our local community and beyond. We have had people from different backgrounds who have shared stories, experiences and ambitions and we have taken great joy in both watching them develop friendships and make plans together instead of being at home all day. We have loved joining them for a coffee and a chat, playing cards, challenging their memories with a quiz, some bingo or just colouring a picture with a grandchild.
“They have all become part of the Argyle Community Trust family and we are now putting plans in place to continue the Friday session as a community cafe. This will still be very laid back and informal and will allow us to welcome everyone who wishes to join us for a coffee, chat or challenge the staff to a board game. To summarise, this has been a wonderful initiative that we are so proud to have been a small part of.”
The Council set up a cost of living taskforce last year to coordinate a city-wide response to support Plymouth residents affected by the rising cost of living.
The taskforce has met monthly and includes representatives from key organisations, including Citizens Advice Plymouth, Food Plymouth, Transforming Plymouth Together, Plymouth Energy Community, Argyle Community Trust and the Department for Work and Pensions
This led to the creation of an online hub incorporating information and advice about finances, energy and food costs, mental health support and the warm spaces map.
You can access the cost of living hub at www.plymouth.gov.uk/costofliving.