Organisations running ‘Warm Place’s in York to support local people through the cold months, are invited to apply for up to £5,000 funding from a £40,000 fund.
With support from last year’s ‘Good Place, Warm Place’ grant, 22 ‘Warm Places’ opened their doors to local residents last winter for a minimum of two hours each week, offering a warm refuge for people struggling to heat their own homes or those who need company and support in a warm and safe location.
Some Warm Places offer advice and information to help residents with the cost of living, including maximising their income, how to save on bills, and where to get good, safe advice. They also offer hot drinks and refreshments, and some offer hot meals also.
Community hubs operating as warm spaces have been shown to provide tangible improvements to residents’ health and wellbeing – both mental and physical – a reduction in social isolation, enable further awareness of essential services such as financial support, and generate an enhanced sense of community.
Last year, organisations used Good Place, Warm Place grants to fund a range of essential services and products. This included paying for food supplies, equipment for food preparation and service, and contributions towards running costs such as heating bills.
Any organisation that has or is considering offering a Warm Place this winter, can request an application form by emailing: shapingneighbourhoods@york.gov.uk, or by asking your local ward’s Community Officer for an application form.
Applications close at midnight on Sunday 5 October.
