West Berkshire churches launch warm winter hubs to help residents during the cost of living crisis
A group of churches in West Berkshire have come together to provide warm winter hubs for people to make use of throughout the colder months.
From Monday, November 21, several churches will open their doors on different days throughout the week so that people have a place to feel warm and safe.
The hubs will be heated, tea, coffee and cake will be provided, devices can be charged, and West Berkshire residents will have a place they can go to if they want to reach out and talk to someone.
Rev Mark Landreth-Smith of Bridge Church Newbury said: “We are very conscious that everybody’s bills are going up and some people might be cold because they have had to make hard decisions. Do I heat or do I eat is a classic one for many people.
“What we really, really don’t want is people being cold and alone.”
Every church will open from 1.30pm to 4pm. Thatcham Baptist Church will run a hub on Monday. Kennet Christian Centre, Glendale Church, St Lawrence’s Church Hungerford will open on a Tuesday.
Thursday will see Thatcham Baptist Church, St Nicolas Church, and St Lawrence’s Church Hungerford open, and Glendale Church will be open on Fridays.
Newbury Methodist Church and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Hungerford will open on Saturdays. Any church will be open on Sunday mornings when they run their regular services.
Organised by Christians Together in the Newbury Area (CTNA), this is the first time this initiative has been run, with the cost of living crisis being a driving factor in its creation.
Many West Berkshire churches are also preparing winter crisis funds to help those most in need this holiday season.