With temperatures starting to drop as the winter months approach, 174 libraries, pubs, cafes, churches, hotels, community and sports centres across Suffolk are opening their doors this month to provide ‘warm spaces’ for people struggling with rising energy bills. 

The aim of the ‘warm spaces’ scheme, which is being repeated around the country, is to provide "warm and welcoming spaces for people who need them". 

The idea of opening community facilities to the public over the colder seasons originated during the summer amid fears the spiralling cost of fuel and gas triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would mean many people would be unable to heat their homes. 

Since then, organisations across Suffolk have come forward to offer a warm space, with many receiving funding from local councils. 

East Suffolk Council is providing funding for 27 spaces, which are due to open this month in a range of locations across the district, including community and church halls, leisure centres and pubs. 

Tea and coffee are provided at the venues, along with free activities, books and games while some independent venues are showing films. 

In Beccles, the local community hub is running warm rooms with funding from the Beccles Community Partnership, which supports projects tackling social isolation and loneliness and aiming to improve physical wellbeing. 

The council’s Ease the Squeeze programme, which helps people with the cost-of-living, has a half-a-million pound budget, of which £70,000 is being invested in warm spaces. 

In Ipswich Borough Council’s area, community rooms at sports centres, Gallery 3 at Ipswich Town Hall and the Reg Driver Centre at Christchurch Park are all set to open to provide a warm space when temperatures drop below 15C. 

Councillor Neil MacDonald, the borough council’s portfolio holder for the cost-of-living and housing, said: “Our Cost-of-Living Charter sets out our commitment to helping local people with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. 

“A key part of this is providing ‘warm banks’ at some of our facilities, giving people who are unable to afford to heat their homes a free, safe and warm space to spend time during the winter period." 

The venues will be open during normal opening hours and will provide hot drinks, a microwave to heat meals, free WiFi and hot showers at sports centres for a £1 fee. 

Meanwhile, in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, warm spaces are being operated at council-run spaces at Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury and Hadleigh Pool and Leisure, while the council recently launched a Winter Warmth Support Fund. 

Grassroots community groups and not-for-profit organisations can apply to the fund for between £250-£5,000 to cover the cost of energy and food bills for additional meetings and sessions.