More details have been revealed of warm, communal places that will be opened up later this year for people who cannot afford to heat their homes. Back 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.
The city's mayor Marvin Rees told Radio 4's PM yesterday (July 12) that they have been planning 'Welcoming Places' for more than two and a half months. He said: "Looking at our city, where we have ongoing challenges with inequality, we know people are facing a crisis right here, right now.
"But our approach has been to say the blessing is that people do not need to put their heating on, but we anticipate a gear change when people do need to put their heating on in the autumn."
Read more: ‘Warm places’ needed in Bristol for people who can’t afford to heat homes in winter
Mr Rees said '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.
"It does feel like a war-time mobilisation, that we will have these places where people can go and they won't have to worry about having their heating on and they can just be warm," he continued. "It will be some of our buildings such as our libraries and we are also talking to schools.
"We had a talk with Steve Chalke the other day, founder of Oasis schools. They already operate as community hubs, particularly the primary schools.
"We will be looking at existing community spaces and faith-based organisations as well. At the moment we have 22 identified around the city and we are working with community workers across Bristol and the people who run those places to work out what specifically will be offered in each one.
"But essentially they are what it says in the tin. A place that will be welcoming where people can go.
"But what we are also being very careful about is that we do not stigmatise the use of these places. So it is not if you are poor, you need to go there - although undoubtedly low income people will be on the greatest pressure. They will be places to build community."
Read next:
Empty council property left for two years to be put back into use
- Bristol hairdresser Anthonell Peccoo still facing deportation and feels like a 'shell'
- Bus gate could see section of Cumberland Road closed to cars
- Major changes proposed for south Bristol shopping street
- South Bristol kids have 'never been to city centre or Suspension Bridge'
