21 December 2023 , 17:34
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Last year, in the grip of the worst cost of living crisis in generations, something amazing happened. First a handful, then hundreds, then thousands of spaces opened their doors to provide a warm space for anyone wanting one.
In a few weeks, partly thanks to the Mirror’s 2022 Christmas appeal, the Warm Welcome Campaign grew from an idea to a vital part of communities all around the country.
More than 17,000 volunteers gave their time and energy to ensure their friends and neighbours had somewhere to go every week.
Over 7,000 warm spaces hosted 2.5 million visits over the winter. The spaces were free and open to all, providing warmth, a cup of tea, a space to charge your phone and – often most importantly of all – a place to sit and talk to others.
People came together to help each other out in places of worship, libraries, town halls and others.
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And didn’t we need it. Mortgages and rents were soaring, prices were rising faster than at any point in decades and then to top it all energy bills went through the roof. Seven million were pushed into fuel poverty.
A terrible choice between heating and eating was a reality for many.
The cost of living crisis is even worse this winter. Millions of families will be forced to make incredibly hard decisions. Children will go to bed cold, hungry or both.
Michael Sheen has praised the Mirror's 2022 Christmas appeal for helping with the Warm Welcome Campaign (Mike Roberts)It shouldn’t happen in a country like Britain. That’s why the Warm Welcome Campaign is so important.
It’s about creating a space for people to take the pressure off.
Over the festive period, Warm Spaces all over are open for events such as Christmas lunches, turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day, carol singing and arts and crafts.
Here in Port Talbot, the library is pulling out all the stops, from carol singing to children’s Christmas story times. There’s even a visit from Mrs Claus. So the message today is simple: There’s a Warm Welcome Space near you, open throughout winter.
- Find your nearest space by putting your postcode into warmwelcome.uk/find-a-space#map