Stockport Council has launched its warm spaces initiative for the second year across the borough.
Warm spaces will be open every day of the week for the winter period in Stockport for anyone to attend for hot meals and drinks, complimentary Wi-Fi, activities and a chance to connect with the local community.
The Brinnington Community Church - also known as the Lighthouse Centre - is one of the venues open for anyone in need of a place to spend their days this winter.
The church is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for different activities, including knit and natter, a food bank service, and an armchair exercise class run by AgeUK - and anyone is welcome to join for a hot meal and a space to sit and talk.
We went down to visit the Lighthouse Centre and speak to some of the people involved.
Warm spaces will be open every day of the week for the winter period in Stockport for anyone to attend for hot meals and drinks, complimentary Wi-Fi, activities and a chance to connect with the local community.
The Brinnington Community Church - also known as the Lighthouse Centre - is one of the venues open for anyone in need of a place to spend their days this winter.
The church is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for different activities, including knit and natter, a food bank service, and an armchair exercise class run by AgeUK - and anyone is welcome to join for a hot meal and a space to sit and talk.
We went down to visit the Lighthouse Centre and speak to some of the people involved.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 "Fun things for us all to do, music with our bros, our places and spaces welcoming
00:07 and safe. We'll feel relaxed, inclusive and happy."
00:11 Stockport Council has launched its Warm Spaces initiative for the second year across the
00:15 borough. Warm Spaces will be open every day of the week for the winter period in Stockport
00:21 for anyone to attend for hot meals and drinks, complimentary Wi-Fi, activities and a chance
00:26 to connect with the local community. The Briddington Community Church, also known as the Lighthouse
00:31 Centre, is one of the venues open for anyone in need of a place to spend their days this
00:35 winter. The church is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for different activities, including
00:40 knit and natter, a food bank service and an armchair exercise class run by Age UK, and
00:46 anyone is welcome to join for a hot meal and a space to sit and talk. We went down to visit
00:50 the Lighthouse Centre and speak to some of the people involved.
00:53 "A lot of people, whichever area you're in, there's always going to be someone that's
00:59 on their own. It's getting to the people that are on their own, that you know what, it's
01:04 fine to come along, doesn't matter if you know anybody when you arrive because you will
01:09 by the time you go home. It's just a sense of belonging, people being together and caring
01:16 about other people, that is the main thing and getting food is a bonus. When you live
01:23 on your own, sometimes cooking for yourself is boring or you don't bother, I'll just have
01:29 a butter, I'll have a bowl of cornflakes. Whereas when you come here you get a hot meal,
01:34 good cup of tea and a natter and company."
01:38 "So I think it's great to have something local where people can feel they're in their own
01:42 community and enjoying those things, teas, coffees, meals, exercise, whatever they want
01:48 to do. As well as the physical and practical help that the warm spaces are in the cost
01:53 of living crisis and the fuel going up. One of the things we've discovered is that isolation
01:57 is a big issue with people, quite apart from the cost of living, but the cost of living
02:03 crisis has increased that isolation and people have reduced their options of going out and
02:09 doing things. So I think the social aspect is very important. Most people are from the
02:15 local community and they're coming together, they might not know each other before they
02:18 come, but it's a good place over the winter to get to know people."
02:21 "Well people possibly wouldn't go out and it just gives them somewhere to go and something
02:28 of interest for them. And you can always chat to people and it just works out alright."
02:35 "It's nice to get out of the house, it's nice being as I am black blind for some people
02:42 to talk to me and it's having company because they talk to me where otherwise I'm sat in
02:51 a room and everything, black blind and they're all talking around me but not to me."
02:57 "You've got a shoulder to cry on when needed, if you need it. And in turn you can give that
03:04 shoulder to someone else and that's what it is here. It's about being a part of the community
03:10 and all looking out for each other."