North Tyneside Council has today announced that its ‘warm welcome’ scheme is set to continue following a successful launch last Winter.
The scheme, which supports community and voluntary organisations in the borough to establish warm, comfortable places for residents to visit, will now run into Spring and beyond.
In November 2022, organisations launched their ‘warm welcome’ offer across the borough with free hot drinks and additional support, social activities and more on offer at least half a day each week.
The Council has now confirmed that it will be supporting a number of organisations to continue their offer to ensure residents are still able to access the vital spaces.
Its own libraries and customer first centres will be extending their popular offer too. Over 9,000 residents have visited its ‘warm welcome’ so far, accessing free tea and coffee, wi-fi, computer access, baby-friendly facilities, film and book clubs and board games and more.
Speaking about the announcement, Cllr Sandra Graham, Cabinet Member for Environment at North Tyneside Council, said: “Our Warm Welcome offer has provided warm, comfortable places for thousands of residents this Winter and I’m delighted that this fantastic offer will continue.
“As we head into Spring, the weather might be improving but the warm welcome offer is about much more than just keeping warm. It’s about social interaction, taking part in activities, learning, and generally just relaxing in a trusted and safe space.
“They’ve proven to be invaluable to our residents, with schemes running in the heart of communities in our borough and the feedback we have received so far shows just how useful they have been.
“While the number of schemes may be smaller as we move into the next phase, there will still be a range of organisations continuing their scheme across the borough. We look forward to sharing more details of the continuation soon.”
The latest announcement is part of North Tyneside Council’s ongoing commitment to tackling the cost-of-living crisis, including supporting the opening of affordable food hubs and supporting children on free-school meals during school holidays.
Full details about the support available for North Tyneside’s residents and businesses throughout the cost-of-living crisis can be found here: https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/1652/cost-living-support