Southwark’s warm spaces are #HereToHelp again this winter with £43k from the council

23 January 2024

This winter, many households are finding themselves struggling with energy prices and the cost of heating their homes. Southwark’s network of warm spaces are back for the second year running, with investment boosted by £43k from Southwark Council alongside their other support with the cost of living crisis.

Last winter, as part of the council’s Here to Help cost of living campaign, their Warm Spaces initiative supported local people to access more than 40 spaces where they could go to keep warm, have a hot meal or drink, and meet others.

The council received incredible support from the voluntary sector, faith leaders, and other partners to open a range of spaces dotted around the borough and catering to different residents' needs. What they saw was more people of different ages, not just older people, coming through their doors for warmth, but also companionship and food.

This year, warm spaces have returned to Southwark with a dedicated funding pot from the council worth over £43k to support venues across the borough. This goes hand in hand with funding from United St Saviours, Southwark Charities and Rotherhithe Consolidated Charities. By working closely together, they are ensuring warm sanctuary and support is there for everyone who needs it with the greatest impact.

All council libraries and children’s centres, plus a range of voluntary and community sector sites, are operating warm spaces. Find a warm space on Southwark Council’s website at www.southwark.gov.uk/warm-spaces

South London Mission is one such warm space in Bermondsey. The grassroots organisation has been doing vital work to support local communities for over 130 years.

Throughout the year, the mission provides food and other essentials through their pantry hampers using donations from local partners. The mission provides weekly B.R.I.T.E. (Building Resilience In Today’s Environment) box meal kits to local schools which have everything families need to prepare a healthy meal together. They also support isolated or vulnerable mothers through their Mummies Republic community group.

Winnie Baffoe, Director of Engagement and Influence at South London Mission, said: “The giving of food is not worthy of accolade, but evidence of a broken social system. Projects such as our Pantry provide a window into understanding the experience of poverty. Poverty takes away choice. The choice of where you can live, whether to heat your home, what food to cook, and even how to cook it. Poverty eats away at childhood. But childhood is not a dress rehearsal for life – it is life itself and must be lived to the fullest. Childhood must be protected.

“At the South London Mission, we recognise people’s pain, their need, and importantly, their self-determination. By offering a warm space, we are able to connect and support people through the network of new friends, charity partners, the statutory and private sectors. Southwark Council’s warm space grant is recognition of the charity sector as essential infrastructure, which scaffolds the wellbeing of its communities.”

Blanca, 47, lives near Peckham. She was first introduced to Mummies Republic support group at South London Mission in 2016 when she was pregnant with her daughter. She says: “I am a single mum and every month I struggle with my bills, especially as everything in my house is electric. Things are even harder now that I have lost my job where I was working very long hours. I don’t know where my daughter and I would be without Winnie and the South London Mission. Winnie is so kind and makes sure we get fresh, good food. I am always very happy with the food they give me.”

Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Communities, Democracy and Finance: “Last year, we had well over 1,000 people access warm spaces across our borough. It’s a sobering number and shows there’s very clearly a need, which is why we’ve brought warm spaces back this winter. The cost of living crisis has touched every corner of our community, with people of all ages seeking not just warmth but also a friendly chat and food at our warm spaces.

“We are proud to working once again with our incredible network of community partners, including South London Mission. Together, we are able to support more people who are struggling to get by as the cost of living crisis shows no sign of relenting.”

Find a warm space and other help with the cost of living on Southwark Council’s website at www.southwark.gov.uk/here-to-help

Page last updated: 23 January 2024