Communal warm places for those who can't afford to heat their homes are "on track" to launch this month in Bristol, the council has said. In June, Bristol City Council announced it was planning to set up 'warm places' across the city to help people who are struggling to pay their energy bills.
Another council in the region has since announced plans to launch a similar scheme. South Gloucestershire Council said last month that details for the scheme were still "being considered". In an update this week, Bristol City Council said that "Welcoming Spaces" are still on track for an October start. However, so far no further details such as opening date or list of locations has been shared by the council.
Read next: 'I Am Judah' documentary film about the Tasering of Judah Adunbi sells out premiere in Bristol
So far, we know that these spaces will be known as "Welcoming Places" and that work has been taking place for several months now to turn them into a reality. The city's mayor Marvin Rees has previously said that 'Welcoming Places' will be a city-wide network of spaces where people can go and be warm.
The mayor said they will also be putting things around that such as food, benefits advice or educational support. Back in July, Mr Rees said that a total of 22 sites had been identified so far.
From grants to pay for school uniforms to council tax exemptions, there are some programmes in place in the city to help support residents during the cost of living crisis. You can find out more about some of the schemes in place in Bristol here.
Read next:
- Investigation as Bristol police Taser member of their own race relations group
- Marlon Thomas: Family of Bristol's 'Stephen Lawrence' speak out 25 years on from racist attack
- Police upheld just one percent of complaints of racism made against them
- Police explain why they are 7 times more likely to stop and search black people in Avon and Somerset
- Police mistake Judah Adunbi for a wanted man - again
