Curled up in a hairdresser’s chair with a hot brew and a biscuit, Zoe Cutts is finally starting to feel warm.
The 28-year-old has a joint condition that leaves her in agony – and which is made worse by the cold.
But, like so many people, she cannot afford to heat her home.
So when she heard that her local hairdresser was offering a warm space, she came down to have a look.
Now Zoe is a regular, and does not know what she would do without it.
“I live in constant pain,” she explains. “But I try not to put our heating on during the day, so I come into the salon to keep warm.
“Disabled people don’t get as much benefit support as they used to.
“We’ve never had to think or live like this before. It feels like we’ve gone backwards to the 70s.
“I try not to think about it. We don’t buy things like yoghurts and cheese any more. Some days I come into the salon when I’m feeling down and I know I can cry and chat.”
Creations Hair and Beauty in Bilsthorpe, Notts, is just one of thousands of community centres, faith spaces and small businesses offering a warm haven this winter.
Co-owners Debbie Brown and daughter Sarah Norcliffe have signed up to Warm Welcome – a UK-wide register of warm spaces offering help.
The Sunday Mirror has joined with our sister paper The Daily Mirror to make Warm Welcome our winter appeal and will be raising awareness of its work and the help and support being offered via the platform.
For Sarah and Debbie, getting involved needed no discussion.
Despite facing spiralling costs themselves – they now close one day a week to keep bills down – they are sharing what they have with others.
Debbie, 51, says: “We have chairs, the heating and electricity is on anyway, there’s always water in the kettle. So why not? We’re happy to support any campaign that helps others do what we’re doing.
“People are genuinely concerned, nobody is used to this way of living.”
Sarah, 28, who has two young children, adds: “We struggle too, we don’t have the heating on a timer now.
“My partner works from home and we’re looking for local warm spaces for him to use. The spaces are needed more than anticipated. People come in to work on their laptops – people who are working are struggling too.”
Mum-of-two Vicki Yates, a college learning support worker, has cut costs where she can but still cannot afford to heat her home.
She says: “We’re sat there some nights really cold. It’s the same for my parents. My dad’s 89. He’s very poorly and in bed most of the time while mum, who is 84, is down in her dressing gown cold, because they can’t afford the heating. I feel so sad.”
Vicki, 55, adds: “I feel angry. More and more young people, and their parents, are suffering mental health problems. People are on the breadline, it’s scary.
“Our Prime Minister is one of the richest men – how does he understand what we’re going through?”
In this ex-mining village, a food club run by Bilsthorpe Emergency Team helps people get fresh food via FareShare.
Co-ordinator Nina Goodman-Tideswell, 33, says: “We now give out 74 parcels a week – that’s a lot for a small village. Some weeks I deliver at least three emergency parcels. And more and more people don’t want to go home after collecting them. It hurts to hear how people struggle. What’s happening is disgusting.”
While the kettle boils at Creation, salon dog Dexter keeps everyone smiling. Sally Bevins, 55, has popped in to see him and to have a cuppa.
She says: “It’s fantastic here. Sometimes I sweep the floor or make teas and coffees. It’s just nice to be somewhere safe and warm. Everyone is just one payslip away from being homeless.”
See Warm Welcome’s online map at warmwelcome.uk to find your nearest centre or to volunteer to help
To donate to our appeal visit this page or scan this QR code:
