THE Helping Hands Changing Lives CIC Warm Hub initiative has been hailed as a huge success.
In December the group successfully applied for a Cost of Living Crisis Fund from Warrington Borough Council.
Working St Benedicts Club and Warrington Lions International they have created two warm spaces a week, where people can come in and enjoy a hot meal, hot drinks and biscuits all free of charge.
Carol Kilgannon, who helped launch Helping Hands, said: “We decided to do free prize bingo and all the prizes that can be won are to help people keep warm or reduce their heating costs. We have given away things like hot water bottles, thermal cups, blankets, thermal socks, slow cookers and electric blankets.
“We also have an information table available with advice leaflets on, for United Utilities, advice against loan sharks, cooking on budget booklets and anything we think that will help people to get through these hard times.
“It has been a huge hit and we see on average 45 people turning up to each session. We have had some fabulous feedback. One lady we helped to get a reduction in her council tax benefit as she didn’t know she was entitled to a single person’s discount. One person applied for PIP and was told they were too old and no other advice was given, we worked with CAB and now the person receives an attendance allowance.”
An evaluation form was also created and asked people to fill it in at the end of a session.
Carol added: “The feedback from that has been better than we could have imagined. Things that were said showed not only are the sessions helping people to save money, but they are also helping people’s mental health and improving people’s social skills, and we couldn’t ask for anymore.
“We were approached by The Coop Local Pioneers to apply for the Crowd Funder Match Fund project which we have taken up and that’s going great. If we meet our target on this it will allow for our safe warm space to continue well into spring.
“Once again this couldn’t happen without the wonderful volunteers from Helpings Hands Changing Lives CIC and the community all working together.”
A Crowdfunding page has been set up at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/warm-hub-for-warrington
