Warm and Welcome Spaces across Swindon to receive 500 winter warm packs

The warm packs may vary by venue, but could include items such as a hat, hot water bottle, and a flask.

Swindon Borough Council used funding from the third tranche of the £1.5m Household Support Fund to purchase:

• 150 blankets
• 150 pairs of gloves
• 150 hats
• 450 hot water bottles with protectors, and
• 450 0.5 litre flasks

As well as the 40 Warm and Welcome Spaces, some Council-owned properties such as Sanford House will have some available for those in need.

It will be at the discretion of the Warm and Welcome Space to distribute the items.

Launched last year, Warm and Welcome Spaces are a council or community venue available to residents to visit to spend time, stay warm and feel safe. These spaces are open to anyone. Visitors won’t be asked why they are there or and won’t have to take part in any activities if they don’t wish to.

A list of Swindon’s Warm and Welcome Spaces is available.

The Leader of Swindon Borough Council, Councillor David Renard, said: “These winter warm packs are a simple but effective solution to help provide essential items to those in need.

“This is just one way we’re helping vulnerable people across the Borough, using funding from the Government’s Household Support Fund. We’ve also issued over 8,000 food and energy vouchers to those eligible since the start of December 2022.

“I urge people to check our cost of living web page for any additional support that they could be missing out on: www.swindon.gov.uk/costofliving.”