Sitting in a cosy church hall with a steaming cuppa, Mary and Trevor Ledger sing happily along to an uplifting ditty about happiness.
With no heating on at home, retired childminder Mary, 84, and carpenter Trevor, 85, are enjoying the warmth of both the room and the company.
The couple look forward to the weekly singsong and chat, which brings together young and old at Trinity Methodist Church in Woking, Surrey.
Mary says: “We haven’t turned the heating on yet because of how much it costs. You either freeze or you go without eating – so we just put more clothes on.
“We’re doing what we can. We have an open fire in our lounge so we stay in there. But we’ll have to turn the heating on eventually, which is on our mind.
“We were brought up during the war and our parents had to be very careful. I think we’re going back to those ways.”
The warm space has become a must for the couple, from nearby Horsell.
Mary says: “There’s always something on and people to meet. And it’s a nice warm space, you feel so welcome.”
The national not-for-profit group Intergenerational Music Making, which brings together people of all ages through music, is one of thousands of small businesses, community centres and faith spaces offering a warm place to help those struggling with living costs.
Founder Charlotte Miller signed up their hubs in Woking and nearby Guildford to the Warm Welcome register and they now open their doors to up to 20 people every Thursday.
She says: “All our service users were screaming out for a place where they’d feel supported. Our referrals have risen 80% over the last three months, with people struggling emotionally, financially, physically or mentally, so we knew this was needed.
“There’s a boy of about 14, recently evicted and waiting to be rehoused because his family couldn’t afford to live there. And then there are those saying they’ve not turned their heating on, are avoiding using the washing machine or struggling with debt – the level of need is high.”
Having a safe, warm place to go every week is vital, says Charlotte. She adds: “The magic with us is it’s a very non-threatening space. There’s no stigma to coming here. The music-making helps people to talk and puts them into a space where they feel safe to express themselves. For some, it’s the most precious morning in their week.”
Another regular IMM member, retired bookkeeper Sheila, says she is “managing” but fears rising costs.
Sheila, who lives in a retirement complex, says: “We have old fashioned storage heaters. You can’t really switch them on and off, so I worry a bit about the cost. I try not to think about it.”
Widower Graham Warr, 75, who volunteers with IMM, has seen his energy bill jump by £60 a month to £250.
He says: “I’m on a pension and don’t have a lot of savings. My daughter lives with me and we decided to put the heating on for a couple of hours a day.”
IMM project leader Chiara Calastri, 23, appreciates the warmth at work. She says: “I live in a house-share and we haven’t turned the heating on yet.
“People here talk about food prices and bills, but they come to forget about it. It’s nice to have a warm space where you can connect and not feel alone.”
As more than 16 million people face fuel poverty this winter, The Sunday Mirror is raising funds for the Warm Welcome campaign through our Warm Hearts Christmas appeal.
Warm Welcome supports more than 3,000 warm spaces, including libraries, community centres and small businesses, that are opening their doors to welcome people who need them.
That need has never been greater. And we need your donations, so that these inviting spaces can provide heating and where possible food, hot drinks and toys.
Backing the initiative, former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “I ask all who can to act. Your communities and local charities need you.”
You can donate here.
- Warm Welcome is coordinated by the Good Faith Partnership and is supported by the Salvation Army, Libraries Connected, Muslim Council of Britain, Neighbourly, Christians Against Poverty, Acts 435, Safe Families, Edge Ministries and the Together Coalition, among others. See Warm Welcome’s online map at warmwelcome.uk to find your nearest centre or to volunteer to help.
