As we get into the colder months, please share our search engine for UK warm spaces https://warm.open-innovations.org/find
It makes it easy to find offers of warm spaces across 103 different directories of warm spaces maintained by various charities and local authorities.
It also aims to keep bandwidth use down whilst simultaneously respecting privacy (no cookies and I grid the data so that your precise coordinates don't leave the browser).
Warm welcome and lots going on during visit to Swansea Space
The centre is one of 80 Swansea Spaces to receive funding this winter to help them continue and expand their provision so people can socialise, enjoy food and refreshments, as well as activities.
Run by the Pontarddulais Partnership, today Canolfan y Bont was serving warm drinks and breakfast rolls while representatives from Swansea Dementia Hwb and Swansea Care and Repair’s welfare benefits section were on hand to offer advice to those who needed it.
There was a Welsh language class, the café was open as well as the foodbank for emergency parcels.
Cath Evans from the Partnership said the idea behind the Swansea Space was to offer a warm welcome and friendship to anyone who wished to pop in.
Usually the Swansea Space runs over four sessions on Mondays and Fridays.
On a Monday they serve hot soup with bread and butter together with tea, coffee or squash and show a film if that’s what those attending wish to do.
Friday’s groups tend to focus on a chat with a cuppa and sometimes crafts including knitting, sewing, crocheting, paint by numbers, jigsaws and diamond art.
Canolfan y Bont is busy on other days of the week including the foodbank being open on Wednesdays.
Cath said: “Our Swansea Space runs year round and the funding we have received from Swansea Council and the Welsh Government over recent years helps us to expand what we do in the winter.
“As well as funding for the space we have also received money from the Direct Food Fund which helps keep the food bank going and allows us to provide supermarket vouchers for essentials to those that need them.”
Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Support, Hayley Gwilliam, said: “Canolfan y Bont is a brilliant example of somewhere providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere where people can meet up and socialise and it was clear today how much residents value what it does.
“But it is just one of 80 Swansea Spaces that have been funded in our communities this winter thanks to investment from our partners in Welsh Government.
“Swansea Council is also doing more than ever before to support residents thanks to our £650,000 #HereForYouThisWinter campaign.
“This has also seen financial backing for food banks and other emergency food support, meals for vulnerable pupils during the school holidays, free and subsidised activities for young and older people and direct help to families and individuals who were struggling with the cost Christmas.”
(Lead image: Swansea Council)
#CanolfanYBont #CllrHayleyGwilliam #HereForYouThisWinter #JaneHuttMS #Pontarddulais #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaSpaces #warmSpaces
BBC News - Bedford and Kempston leisure centres offering free hot showers - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgx1763lmjo
It's the third winter running that I'm maintaining an index of directories of warm space offers in the UK: https://warm.open-innovations.org/find I currently crawl 98 different directories with a bunch of custom scrapers to try to bring all the offers of warm spaces together in a consistent format. I provide a search interface to warm space offers that attempts to keep bandwidth use down whilst also caring about privacy.
Rugeley Rifle Club is pleased to extend its trial of Warm Spaces on Sundays from 11am-4pm for over-65s.
Call in for a hot drink, a social atmosphere, food served by Vysions Youth Volunteering and a social atmosphere, plus the opportunity to try Benchrest shooting!
The club is open every Sunday from now until April, including December 24th!
https://www.rugeleyrifleclub.org.uk/enjoy-a-warm-space-at-rugeley-rifle-club/
#Benchrest #Community #rugeley #RugeleyRifleClub #WarmSpaces #Wellbeing
Our tool that searches warm space offers in the UK has been updated. It now collates over 7800 offers from 108 different directories: https://warm.open-innovations.org/directories I've gone to great lengths to keep the bandwidth requirements low (compared to existing directories) as many of those looking for warm spaces may also have limited data plans.
I'd really appreciate it if people could link to it from other websites to help boost it in search results.
Stuart 
Editor
Tree Hugger 🌳 🌍 💙 🇬🇧
Rugeley Rifle Club
Jo Rhodes