With a pre-Christmas cold snap and an ongoing cost of living crisis, this winter has brought about more challenges than most.
But churches across the Diocese of Durham have been working to keep their communities warm, with many people struggling to afford to heat their homes.
Congregations from the Tyne to the Tees and the Dales to the Sea have been opening their buildings to provide Warm Spaces to anyone who wishes to use them.
As part of the national response to the difficulties many face this winter, the Church of England made £15 million of grant funding available to Dioceses around the country. The Diocese of Durham received £448k, every penny of which is being sent to parishes to help them cover the cost of heating.
In addition to the initial grant, every parish running a Warm Welcome, Warm Hub or Warm Space registered with their local council was eligible for an extra £1,000 of funding in recognition of the extra money being spent on the needs of their community.
Hillside Church in Lobley Hill has played its part. Revd Glen MacKnight said Hillside’s good relationship with its local councillors meant that when Gateshead Council launched its Warm Spaces initiative, the church was in a position to respond quickly.
Glen explained: “What we did was to integrate the Warm Space into our Joshua Tree Cafe. This meets on a Friday and is Pay as You Feel. Running alongside with the cafe is Hillside Toddlers group, and a Bereavement Drop-in. We were in a perfect position to extend hospitality and conversation to all ages.”
Revd Paul Child, Parish Giving Advisor for the Diocese, said that about a third of our parishes have created a Warm Space for their community.
He said: “It’s great to have the opportunity to support them using some of the funds supplied from the central church as they seek to bless their communities in Jesus’ name.”
Clare Tuddenham, treasurer of St Matthew and St Luke’s in Darlington, said: “Here at St Matthew and St Luke's, we want to support our local community - it's an inbuilt part of our faith and our mission, and we know the need is there.”
“We've held an open coffee morning and a knit and natter group for some years, both of which attract people from all walks of life and some with acute needs. We would now very much like to open more often and for longer.
“Funding is critical - making the church warm and welcoming is essential but, of course, very expensive. It's reassuring to know that the Diocese will provide some financial support to help us realise our plans.”
A list of all the parishes running a Warm Space is available here. Please see A Church Near You for contact details and further information.
If you'd like to set up your own Warm Space, useful information and support can be found here.