Gordon Brown urges communities to open more Warm Welcome Spaces ahead of a harsh winter

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has recorded a video message for the UK’s 4,000 Warm Welcome Spaces as they prepare for another tough winter.

With energy prices rising by 10% on average, the vast majority of households will see their bills go up, which means millions of Britons will struggle to keep warm this winter. That’s why more Warm Welcome Spaces are needed, offering physical warmth and the warmth of friendship to local communities across the UK.

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Gordon Brown is supporting the Warm Welcome for All 100% Pledge campaign to ensure that everyone can access a Warm Welcome Space close to home this winter. Making his 100% Pledge, Gordon Brown said:

“Join me in taking the Warm Welcome for All 100% Pledge this winter and make every community a warmer, friendlier, and more hopeful place.”

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Gordon Brown was one of the founding members of the Warm Welcome Campaign, initially set up two years ago in response to the worst cost-of-living crisis in 75 years. Gordon Brown calls Warm Welcome Spaces a “chain of hope” stretching across the UK.  Two years on, Gordon Brown reflects on the impact of Warm Welcome Spaces, saying the campaign has  already become one of the most successful community initiatives, supporting 4.5 million visits in 4,000 spaces across the country.

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In his video message, Gordon Brown says:

“Last winter Warm Welcome Spaces supported on average 120,000 visitors every week, and indeed, in the first two years of operation, we have found that over 50% of guests said that without the spaces, they would have been at home with the heating off—and thus alone and in the cold. And they told us it wasn't just the physical warmth that made a difference—these spaces had a profound impact, reducing their isolation and loneliness. They offered not just the warmth of heating, but the warmth of friendship.”

“Today almost two out of every three people are within 30 minutes of a Warm Welcome Space in their community. But that's not good enough: we have set ourselves a new mission for the next year to ensure that 100% of the population has access to a Warm Welcome Space within walking distance. And to make our offer of welcome real, we will this year aim to ensure that instead of just 1 in 5 people knowing where to find their local space, all will have the chance to know what is on offer.”

David Barclay, Campaign Director for the Warm Welcome Campaign, added

“We want everyone to find a place of connection and belonging close to home, that’s why we are launching the Warm Welcome for All 100% Pledge campaign ahead of another harsh winter. We want everyone to join us by making a personal 100% Pledge so everyone can find a Warm Welcome Space in their neighbourhood. These spaces are a lifeline to communities. With rising energy prices and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, people are struggling to make ends meet. Buttle UK’s recent report on child poverty is shocking. 81% of respondents identified as experiencing destitution; 81% cannot afford enough gas or electricity for their homes; and 70% cannot afford enough food for their family or adequate clothing that keeps them warm. This winter, more Warm Welcome Spaces are desperately needed. And vitally, communities need to know there’s help just around the corner.”

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The Warm Welcome Campaign resources, connects, and champions a network of more than 4,000 Warm Welcome Spaces and brings together a growing coalition of local, regional, and national partners representing the worlds of charity, faith, business, government, and philanthropy. You can find your local Warm Welcome Space by visiting our online map: https://www.warmwelcome.uk/find-a-space#map.

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Warm’s Welcome 100% Pledge Campaign aims to ensure that:

* Everyone knows how to find their local Warm Welcome Space, 100%

* There’s a Warm Welcome Space in every neighbourhood community, 100%

* Every Warm Welcome Space is accessible and inclusive to all, 100%

* Every Warm Welcome Space has the resources to stay open all year round, 100%

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Gordon Brown added:

“Join me in taking the "Warm Welcome for All 100% Pledge. Everyone has a role to play. You can all do something to help as supporters or partners—whether as the provider of spaces, the volunteer at the spaces, or the funder of the spaces, and working together, we can drive out the worst of Britain by bringing out the best in Britain, unlocking the power of community, and creating a more deeply connected society, made by and for everyone.”

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You can take the Pledge here.