Could your church be a ‘Welcoming Space’?

Last winter the Warm Welcome Campaign was born, and over 7,000 warm welcome spaces popped up across the country, with the aim of providing a warm and welcoming space to those struggling with the cost of living crisis. Across the UK these spaces had over 2.5 million visits and not only met a need in terms of physical warmth, but also provided relief from loneliness and isolation.

‘’I was very lonely, coming took away my loneliness and I’ve made friends’’ - Spaces Guest

In Bristol, 105 Welcoming Spaces opened up across the city last winter, with a third of these spaces hosted by churches.

WHAT IS A WELCOMING SPACE?

‘’Serving the community and being there for people in the name of Jesus’’ - Church leader

Put simply, a Welcoming Space is a time during the week where your church doors are open to the public; it might be a morning, evening or across a lunchtime. Spaces need to be warm, welcoming, safe and free to enter - beyond that there is licence to get creative! Whether it’s offering a cup of tea and a listening ear, running a Community Cafe, hosting an After School homework club or facilitating a Wellbeing group…every church has something to offer.

Take a look at this video to hear more from our Bristol Welcoming Space leaders & guests.

The Good Faith Partnership, in collaboration with Christian Action Bristol, supports churches across Bristol to open Welcoming Spaces.
If you’re running a parent & toddler group, foodbank, drop in cafe or hosting a hot meal or activities during the week - chances are you might already be running a Welcoming Space!
We’d love to support you with resources, funding opportunities and a network of other churches running spaces in the city.

If you’d like to find out more about running a Welcoming Space, get in contact with Emma at emma.west@goodfaith.org.uk