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This time last year residents were dealing with the impact of the enormous hike in the cost of energy, the effects of which are still being felt across the nation. Fears that householders would not be able to afford to heat their homes led to schemes to provide somewhere for people to go to keep warm, meet others in similar circumstances, and have access to hot drinks, biscuits, books and other recreational activities.
Locally the Borough Council allowed the Parish Council the free use of the Forest Rise Community Centre on to provide a warm and safe environment for residents from 9am to 4pm twice a week. A small team of Parish Councillors and volunteers gave up their time for three months to keep the facility available.
It provided a valuable service, greatly appreciated by those who used it regularly. But their numbers did not meet expectations, and the time given up by Councillors and volunteers was disproportionate to the benefit provided and did not justify running a similar service this year.
What became apparent was that the scheme provided two benefits – keeping warm and keeping contact, providing companionship and the opportunity to meet people and chat in a pleasant environment. This year the Borough Council is again encouraging those who want to provide similar schemes, though the emphasis has changed slightly and now refers to a Warm Welcome rather than a warm environment.
Groby Warm Welcome
In Groby the Borough directory lists three locations in Groby available this winter, though the hours are more limited than the 2023 scheme at the Community Centre.
Groby Community Library, Leicester Road, Groby. LE6 0DQ
When? Second and fourth Friday of the month 10.30am to 11.30am
What's on offer? Hot drinks and chat. The library cafe is also available during normal opening hours with hot drinks available for just over £1.
Groby United Reformed Church, Chapel Hill, Groby, LE6 0FE
When? Saturday 10am to 12 noon
What's on offer? Hot and cold drinks, snacks, children's area. Voluntary donations appreciated.
Groby Village Hall, Leicester Road, Groby, LE6 0DQ
When? Thursday 10.30am to 12 noon
What's on offer? Hot drinks and chat.
Markfield Warm Welcome
Markfield Community Library, Oakfield Avenue, Markfield, LE67 9WG
When? Normal opening hours.
Markfield Trinity Methodist Church, 42 Main Street, Markfield, LE67 9UU
When? Wednesday 9.30am to 12.30pm
What's on offer? Hot drinks.
Markfield Congregational Community Church, 104 Main Street, Markfield, LE67 9UU
When? Tuesday 9.30am to 1pm
What's on offer? Hot drinks, snacks, soup.
April 2023 As the blossoms start to fill the trees, and the clocks go forward an hour, there’s a feeling of optimism that winter has done it’s worst. That’s optimism, not confidence, as Mother Nature has ways of taking us by surprise, and there may be another cold snap to come.
No-one will have escaped the massive hike in energy prices. Some will have been hit very hard financially, despite the assistance given by the Government. And even those better placed to pay the higher bills have found that simple steps can be taken to reduce marginal energy use. These include such things as more rigorous adjustment of the heating thermostat, not overfilling the kettle, batch cooking and the use of microwaves, slow cookers or air fryers to reduce expensive oven time, and even shorter showers.
Last Autumn we faced the unknown, unsure of the hardships that might have to be faced, particularly by the most vulnerable in our community. With a potential crisis ahead Groby Parish Council took decisive action to reduce the amount spent on Christmas lights to provide funding for some kind of community support scheme. With the Borough Council’s generous help this took the form of somewhere warm where residents could find comfort, companionship and refreshments through the coldest months of the year. As there were no wages, rental, rates, or heating charges to pay, the good news is that this limited the cost to the Parish.
Although the Borough provided the heated Forest Rise Community Centre for two days a week for 3 months to the 31 March, the service still need to be organised and run. An appeal for volunteers produced a great response, but the initiative had to be led by Parish Councillors who would ensure all the legal and statutory provisions would be met.
Three Parish Councillors stepped forward and each one committed to working at the Community Centre full time for two days every week for three months. If there were personal circumstances which required them to be elsewhere a pool of alternative Parish Councillors made themselves available, always with the invaluable support of the non-council volunteers.
The regular users became familiar faces who were pleased not only to reduce their fuel bills, but also to enjoy the benefits of social interaction, and meet new and old friends for a chat over a hot drink and a biscuit. They will be sorry that it has to come to an end, and perhaps so will the Parish Councillors and volunteers. Though those Parish Councillors who have given up 24 full days of their free time since January, in addition to their normal Parish Council responsibilities, may be looking forward to catching up with any chores at home that have been put on hold.
February 2023 We are now into our second month at Forest Rise Community Centre in Groby with visitor numbers slowly increasing and already establishing regulars that pop in to see us a few hours each week.
At the beginning of January Warm Spaces opened its doors for the first time and although it was a slow start, we are pleased that residents are making use of this free facility.
Warm Spaces was set up by the volunteers that make up Groby Parish Council, as a place for people to come to during the months when most of us would quite happily hibernate.
‘Toast, tea and talk’
This month we have introduced ‘Toast, tea and talk’ which runs from 9am until 11am both Monday and Friday mornings, so come along after the school run or if you are out on a morning stroll.
The space is for everyone and offers a warm environment and company while enjoying a cuppa and biscuits and even things to do. We have had donations of children's and adult books, games, playing cards and jigsaws for everyone to use. The jigsaws and books can be borrowed and then returned when finished with, or passed onto another good cause.
We have around 16 volunteers in total, and they are really enjoying meeting our visitors and listening to stories about Groby life.
Weekly activities
Look out for weekly activities too which will be advertised at the community centre, Groby Parish Council website and on social media. We will be having a fun game of Bingo at 2pm on 13th February.
Warm Spaces will close its doors at the end of March 2023, when the Spring and hopefully warmer weather is with us, so don’t miss out on this free facility while it is here. You don’t have to be a Groby resident to visit us, so tell your friends and family.
Also the number 26 bus brings you within a 2 minute walk to the community centre. You can pick it up at various stops around Groby including near Marina Drive, The Stamford Pub and Main Street Ratby.
Janet Bishop - Groby Parish Council Volunteer
February 2023 If you enjoy working on jigsaws then you’re help in completing an idyllic summer scene would be greatly appreciated. The part completed jigsaw is on display at the Forest Rise Community Centre between the hours of 9am and 4pm on Mondays and Fridays until the end of March. No appointment is needed, just turn up and do as little or as much as you want.
You can turn your thermostat down and the kettle off at home while you’re out as you’ll enjoy a warm environment, free refreshments, and the opportunity for a chat. If you can take a friend with you to help that would be even better.
January 2023 As the glow of the festive season fades, 2023 will bring with it uncertainty for many, as thoughts will turn to how to cope with the cost of living. This time last year, as we made plans for the year ahead, not many will have foreseen that our income would be reduced in value as the cost of living increases. Belts have been tightened, but for many there will be difficult choices to be made, and sadly one of these will be turning on the heating.
December was one of the coldest for many years, and brought with it a stark reminder. I was fortunate to be able to keep warm as the temperature dipped, but for those who cannot afford to heat their homes they struggle against the cold every day.
The Warm Spaces Working Party, at Groby Parish Council, was set up to work with the community and to facilitate warm, safe and inclusive spaces for residents.
Warm Spaces near the village centre
We are delighted that the Groby Community Centre on Forest Rise, is now open on Mondays and Fridays from 9am until 4pm, hoping to continue until the end of March. The space will be warm and welcoming and available for all, with free hot and cold drinks, biscuits and company.
The space will be run by volunteers from within the community, and it will be this that is essential to keeping the space open and if we can, extend the opening time into the evenings when people may need it the most.
We are appealing to all of you for your help. Do you have a couple of hours a week you could spare to help out? Maybe you are someone who will need a warm space, and by volunteering you can help to keep the space open. Have you been on the receiving end of kindness when times have been difficult, this would be a great opportunity to pay it forward. Communities reunite at difficult times, you just need to look back at how the country came together during the mourning of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Now is the time we really need to come together and support one another.
If you can help in any way, please contact the Groby Parish Council Office, Village Hall, Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester. LE6 0DQ. Tel: 0116 2876 985 Email: parishclerk@groby.com.
We are also looking for donations of games, jigsaws, books and activities to keep people entertained while visiting the space. Or are you part of an organisation which do an activity that could visit during the opening hours, to share a craft or offer advice.
We do not yet have information about other Warm Spaces in the village centre.
Warm Spaces near Field Head
This information has been supplied by the Borough Council -
Markfield Community Library, Oakfield Avenue, Markfield, LE67 9WG: Monday 9am to 10am, 1pm to 3pm, 6pm to 7pm. Tuesday 9am to 10am, 12.30pm to 3pm, Friday 9am to 10am, 1pm to 3pm, Saturday 10am to 12.30pm
Markfield Congregational Community Church, 104 Main Street, LE67 9UU: Tuesday 9.30am to 1.30pm
Methodist Church, Main Street, Markfield, LE67 9UU: Wednesday 10am to 12 noon
Cllr Janet Bishop - Warm Spaces Working Party, Groby Parish Council
December 2022 Talk to older residents about winter weather and you’ll often be told tales of how they grew up with ice forming on the inside of their windows. Double glazing, wall and roof insulation, together with central heating has reduced the risk of such misadventures. But hikes in energy bills change everything, and for many the the lifestyle clock turns back 70 years, as homes become suddenly colder, as the affordable, or marginally affordable, become unaffordable.
How warm our homes are is not simply a matter of comfort, it is for many a health issue. Although rocketing temperatures in the summer can be a killer, in the winter the risks are more subtle and marginal changes in temperature can have adverse effects.
The World Health Organisation strongly recommends that indoor housing temperatures should be high enough to protect residents from the harmful health effects of cold. For countries with temperate or colder climates, 18 °C has been proposed as a safe and well-balanced indoor temperature to protect the health of general populations during cold seasons, but a higher minimum indoor temperature than 18 °C may be necessary for vulnerable groups including older people, children and those with chronic illnesses.
The WHO had looked at household temperatures and health, along with the benefits of better insulation of homes. The WHO acknowledged that cold indoor temperatures have been associated with increased blood pressure, asthma symptoms and poor mental health and that cold homes contribute to excess winter deaths. Most of these can be attributed to both respiratory and cardiovascular disease, especially for older people. In children, the excess winter health burden is mostly due to respiratory disease. Excess winter deaths due to cold housing has been estimated at 38 200 per year in 11 selected European countries.
Cold air inflames lungs and inhibits circulation, increasing the risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma attacks or symptoms, worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infection. Cold also causes stress to the circulatory system that can lead to cardiovascular effects, including heart disease and strokes.
Winter mortality is greater in countries with milder climates than in those with more severe winter conditions. This is partly because countries with mild winters, such as the UK, often have homes characterized by poor insulation that are harder to heat than well insulated houses in more extreme climates.
Many residents live in poorly insulated homes, or even well insulated homes with energy costs more than they can afford. In such circumstances this winter is going to be very challenging, and finding Groby’s Warm Places is not only going to be good for your wallet it is going to be good for your health, both physical and mental, as companionship in adversity can lift the spirits.
The last thing that the organisers and volunteers want is empty Warm Spaces, so don’t sit at home getting colder by the day, check them out and take your friends with you.