Warm Welcome Launch

On the 28th of September, ChurchWorks, alongside its Warm Welcome partners hosted the Campaign’s online launch event, watched live by over 800+ people across the UK.

Hosted by Carl Beech, the launch event marked the opening of the Warm Welcome registration system, where organisations ranging from churches, community centres, libraries, businesses, schools and other faith groups can enter their Space’s address, opening times, facilities and more to be added to the database of Spaces people can go to stay warm. Once Spaces have had the time to register, the aim is to add these places to a nation-wide map where people can add their postcodes 

The event started off with an introduction to the campaign by our host for the evening, Carl Beech, followed by messages of support for the Campaign from our fantastic partners, telling us the huge potential they see in the Campaign and the difference it will make to people’s lives.

After a brief overview of the Campaign from member of the ChurchWorks Secretariat, David Barclay, a demonstration video was shown explaining how attendees can register their Space and the access they get once they do. 

We then heard from some fantastic organisations already opening Warm Welcome Spaces and the impact doing so is already having in their communities, including from ACRE Network, Freedom Church, Staverley Edge Centre and a Places of Welcome in Birmingham.

Next on the agenda was some questions from the audience for our Q&A panel, which included:

• Isobel Hunter from Libraries Connected
• Lisa Lloyd-Jones from Salvation Army
• Fazila Aswat from the Together Coalition 
• David Barclay from ChurchWorks

The launch event ended with some poignant reminders from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and current Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees of the devastating effects of the crisis and how imperative it is the Campaign for churches and other community organisations to come together to tackle the crisis.