How three community-focused churches are honouring and blessing local people

As soaring fuel prices and the cost-of-living crisis hit households last winter, Warm Hubs opened across the UK. Since then, many have transformed into vibrant community spaces. Three Elim pastors told Chris Rolfe their stories

If you walk through Bont Elim on a Wednesday night, you will hear a bagpipe troupe practising in one room and a ukelele group in another.

This is what happens, says pastor Jason Beynon, when your church becomes a Warm Welcome space for your community.

Bont Elim's story began last autumn when utility bills began to soar and 'heat or eat' headlines hit.

"We have an Age Concern group at the church and the lady who runs it was asking the older people how they expected to get through the winter," says Jason.

"It became clear they were planning to grin and bear it by having days off eating to put the gas on. That was unacceptable, so we started talking about how we could help."

Like many other churches and public buildings, Bont Elim decided to host a Warm Hub. This was helped by the fact Jason had signed a five-year fuel deal in 2020 which was holding bills at a reasonable rate.

He put the word out through takeaways, libraries, dentists and surgeries, and people started to come.

"Our typical day would start at 6:30am when we'd have the lights and heating on and people could come in to sit or talk.

"We noticed a pattern developing. First, we'd have kids who would come for a cup of hot chocolate and charge their phones on their way to school.

The hub was there to help – offering warmth, free food and drinks and signposting to outside services where necessary. But Jason noticed many attendees were keen to avoid being classed as charity cases.

This led to some, like Gramps, stepping up as volunteers to man the kettle or the door.

"Gramps is a key part of the team," says Jason. "In the beginning, he told us, 'You won't get me in there, I'm an atheist.' Now he volunteers 25 hours a week."

Church members, too, who were unable to help physically, provided vital prayer support.

Then, as the cost-of-living crisis also made headline news, this desire to avoid a charity feel created a new opportunity that transformed the hub and widened its appeal.

"Going into 2023, we found more and more people – not just those at the poverty end of the spectrum – were struggling to make ends meet.

"We knew spring was coming when heating wouldn't be an issue for a while, so we joined Warm Welcome and converted from a Warm Hub to a Warm Welcome space that could help all year round."

Jason began offering rooms in the church to local groups for free.

In came a chair aerobics group, a ukelele group, a bagpipe group and a wood carving group.

"A bunch of seniors were bored, so a man offered to teach them how to carve," explains Jason. "In their first week, I wandered in and wondered what I could smell. He was teaching them using bars of carbolic soap!

"With all these groups, people are coming here to do something. They don't feel like charity cases, and more and more are getting involved in them."

With the cost of living showing no sign of easing, Jason is anticipating another tough winter and expecting that his Warm Welcome space will remain a vital community resource.

"People don't know what they're going to do, but on that journey, we continue to offer a place where they can come – with the warmth of our heating but also our continual warm welcome."

Barmouth Elim

Barmouth Elim launched its Warm Hub last year, but when winter was over and demand for its lunches remained high, pastor Dawn Robinson kept them going. Out of this, a Community Hub has grown.

"We were approached through the foodbank to be a hub for our community. Part of that was offering a warm space where people can come so they don't have to heat their homes.

"We got a grant to run our warm space and through that offered free lunches with soup and rolls, sandwiches, crisps, tea and coffee. The Co-op and Iceland also give us food that's nearing its sell-by date, like eggs and sausage rolls.

"Our Hub ran from November to March, then we carried on after that, just charging £1 for lunch instead.

We're open on Mondays and Thursdays and get around 20 people coming along. A group comes in every week, then others pop in occasionally. We've got people with mental health issues or who are lonely, ex-addicts and recovering alcoholics. They're from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds, and there's a real buzz when they're together.

"Our Hub runs in our church, where we have tables, chairs and sofas for people to meet and eat. They sit and chat, and games and jigsaws are available, too.

"It's led to other things too. I signpost people to services like debt advice, help them get electricity vouchers and help them fill in forms. It's opened up connections between people and mental health and social workers. We've also had people come to church through getting to know us at the Hub.

"It's worked really well. We honour and bless people through this – it's a safe place, a place of encouragement and a place of laughter where everyone is treated with respect."

Café Avodah, Launceston

Gateway 2 New Life Church's Café Avodah offers a big-hearted welcome to its community. Its Warm Hub and Soup Hub have become an integral part of café life, says manager Teresa Pickup.

"Our café is four times the size of a normal café so I'm able to offer lots of different things in it. During the winter, one of these is a Warm Hub where people can come if they can't afford to heat their homes. They get a free cup of tea or coffee and can stay as long as they want.

"Elderly people come along. We also provide shelter to drug addicts who come in for a rest.

"We run a free Soup Hub too, for people who can't afford a hot meal or who are sofa surfing or street homeless. Our soup is homemade and we have up to five flavours because I believe in giving people the best. They get a nice big fresh bread roll, too.

"When people come in for our Hubs, they get to enjoy the café, its activities and its atmosphere. We've got a comfy sofa seating area, a children's and toddler area that's gated off and safe to play in, and lots of tables and chairs.

"We have clubs running in the café as well – arts and crafts, knit and natter, board games, chess, pool. You name it, we try and do it! One thing I insist on is that the café is interactive, so people who come in for our Hubs can join in whatever is going on."

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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