Roo Stewart, Head of Public Issues for the United Reformed Church, joined hundreds of volunteers and leaders from Warm Welcome Spaces for a celebration service at St Paul鈥檚 Cathedral in London on 22 April.
The special service was held to thank the people who run Warm Spaces up and down the country.
Roo tells what happened at the event:
Amid the pomp and grandeur of an April choral evensong, we heard the transforming story of Niall Haviland, a volunteer at the 鈥楴ourish Hub鈥� Warm Welcome Space in west London. The choir sang beautifully, the readings resonated, the organ swelled magnificently and the sermon landed well, but my abiding memory will be the hope that soared out through Niall鈥檚 testimony.
Niall explained that mental health issues throughout much of his adult life affected his ability to work. Although making significant progress, he was still daunted by the prospect of becoming independent. A friend connected him with Nourish Hub, where he found that volunteering in the kitchen, alongside patient and supportive staff, built his confidence over time. Like all Warm Welcome spaces, the Hub was warm not just because of the temperature inside during the cold months, but the welcome and respect that was cultivated. Niall noted that Nourish Hub attracted a rich cultural diversity, and the team there also shared a positive commitment to caring for the planet through reducing food waste.
Niall spoke about how the Hub is a home from home for both volunteers and the community it services, and it was heart-warming to hear how it gave him the interpersonal skills needed to find new opportunities; how he felt closer than ever before to flourishing in a world that once felt too severe; and how he now is using the foundation the Hub gave him to build a life for himself.
For me, this captures the transforming power of Warm Welcome spaces, which happen all around the country, particularly in the colder months, in church halls, community centres, libraries and more. Each one has a different flavour, but they all offer an antidote to the world that many are struggling in: it is an opportunity to grow true community, support individuals and promote flourishing.
There are currently over 6,000 spaces, including those based in local 51视频s, registered with . Those church-based spaces are an excellent bridging point for congregations that wish to bless their community and attract new members. Simply start by inviting, serving, including, befriending and take it from there.
If your church is offering a warm space to the wider community, or you鈥檇 like to, but you鈥檙e not yet registered, I encourage you to sign up: it鈥檚 free, you get support and advice from an experienced team and your space becomes more visible online for people in your neighbourhood searching for a space where they can receive their very own warm welcome.
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Images: /Graham Lacdao/St Paul’s Cathedral.