A partnership has begun offering a warm welcome to Lichfield residents struggling with the cost of living crisis.
Lichfield Community Fire Station opened up its doors on Thursday (10th November) as part of a Place of Welcome link-up with St Michael’s Church.
The weekly drop-in is one of a wider network of Lichfield and District Warm Welcomes which is seeing churches and other community venues across the area offer a haven to people struggling to heat their homes due to the cost of living crisis.
Rector of St Michael’s, the Revd Dr Abbie Walsh, said:
“The Place of Welcome will run initially until the end of March, every Thursday afternoon from 1.30 to 3pm.
“We’ll offer a warm space, a warm welcome, conversation and hot drinks. Additionally, the fire station will work with us to provide winter warm packs and promote home safety advice.
“The station has great community facilities and it’s wonderful to be working together like this so we can keep everyone in our community safe and warm this winter while also offering companionship for those who might be on their own.”
The Revd Dr Abbie Walsh
Station manager Leigh Richards said:
“Providing a warm space for the local community to come and enjoy companionship, conversation and hot drinks at this time is the right thing to do for our communities.
“As a service, we have a number of ongoing initiatives to help support families to keep warm this winter. This includes Community Safety Officers and crews available every Thursday to offer advice and distribute our winter warmth packs.”
Leigh Richards
The initiative is part of the Places of Welcome network which has seen hundreds of such drop-ins pop up across the Midlands and further beyond to offer regular opportunities for people to find a friendly face, a cup of tea and a conversation when they need it.
