Warm hubs workshop showcases support across Warwickshire communities

A warm hubs workshop was recently held in Wellesbourne showcasing the support across Warwickshire for communities.

Warwickshire Rural Council Community’s (WRCC’s) first workshop was held on September 13 at Warwick University’s Conference Centre, when 120 people joined together to share experiences and learning, and celebrate the work taking place at community hubs throughout Warwickshire and Solihull.

The warm hubs project has been going for three years and is run by rural charity WRCC and supported by gas distribution network Cadent.

The workshop showcased what is happening at Warm Hubs in Atherstone, Bidford, Kenilworth, Meriden, Salford Priors, Wellesbourne and Wolvey.

Organisers shared their personal learning and practical advice about hubs as centres of community engagement, emphasising the importance of providing safe, inclusive places where people know they can come and enjoy a warm welcome, as well as access to help and advice when needed.

There was also a range of activities, entertainment, and community support being offered, as well as food.

Attendees had a seated exercise taster session from Think Active and the Warm Hubs team at Salford Priors announced the launch of their Short Mat Bowls Warwickshire Inter-Hub Competition

Representatives from Citizens Advice, National Energy Action, Warwickshire Healthwatch and Fire and Rescue Services all joined together to explain how they can work with Warm Hub organisers to help more vulnerable residents visiting hubs.

With the colder months approaching, WRCC also announced it will be bringing back its Winter Warm Hubs grants scheme – which helped to support 92 hubs last winter – plus a new online map to show locations of all Warm Hubs and Winter Warm Hubs, which will also offer free listing to other community hubs.

The warm hubs project targets social isolation and fuel poverty and related issues, one of which is how residents can be helped to access affordable, healthy food while living costs continue to rise, and so the workshop ended with a focus on food initiatives.

WRCC launched its new funded slow cooking courses for community groups this winter thanks to a collaboration between Cadent and Warwickshire County Council’s Community Food Forum.

Jackie Holcroft, WRCC warm hubs manager, said: “We’re delighted to welcome so many people from so many organisations to our event today.

"This shows the strength of support and need for Warm Hubs and how our network supports community development across Warwickshire and Solihull.

"It’s been incredible to watch people making new connections and expanding their hubs’ community networks throughout the day, and we only wish we could bottle the energy created at this event.

"We’d particularly like to thank all those volunteers who’ve taken time to come to the workshop, all the community supporters and organisations who’re helping to grow our project’s community impact, and of course our fantastic long-term project sponsor, Cadent.”

To find out more about WRCC’s warm hubs project, go to: www.wrccrural.org.uk/wrcc-warm-hubs or contact [email protected]

WRCC’s winter warm hubs grant funding initiative launches on Friday (September 22) and more information will be available via the website.

Applications of interest for funded slow cooking courses should also be emailed as soon as possible to the above email address.