Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has distributed further financial support for Warm Spaces to be developed across the district.

Fenstanton Parish Council has been awarded £420 to purchase supplies to be able to run its Warm Space three times a week, from 9am till 4pm at the Fenstanton Church Centre.

Huntingdon Town Council has been awarded £500 towards running a Warm Space in The Coneygear Centre. This will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9am-12pm, alongside their Community Library and Café.

Warm Spaces are friendly, warm and inclusive locations designed to support residents of all ages at a time when the cost-of-living is a significant challenge.

This Community Chest Grant funding is designed to help the organisations make a positive difference to local people.

Vice-chairman of Fenstanton Parish Council, Roy McGee, said: “We would have struggled to open the Fenstanton Warm Space without the help and assistance of HDC.

“The advice on volunteer structure, and access to training videos itself was invaluable, but then we were further supported by a £420 community chest grant.

“The grant has allowed us to purchase vital equipment that we need to provide a warm, safe, friendly, community facility for every single resident of our parish. Without the grant, that equipment would have come from our own resources, potentially limiting the help we could offer our parishioners.”

Communities officer at Huntingdon Town Council, Charlotte Mann, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the Community Chest Grant from HDC, which will enable us to extend our existing services to give our users the support they need.

“We recognise that there is huge demand within our local community as well as wider areas to support residents with access to warm spaces.

“This funding will enable us to provide activities and resources to visitors of the centre that will support and boost positive mental health and wellbeing.

“The grant will be used to purchase art therapy resources, games, puzzles and activities that will be available during our open access times at The Coneygear Centre.

“We encourage Huntingdon residents to come and utilise the unique community space that we have here.”

Executive councillor for community and health at HDC, Cllr Ben Pitt, said: “Further approved Community Chest Grant funding is heart-warming to see, as we know many residents are concerned about the increasing cost of heating their homes this winter.

“It is not just about giving residents a warm welcome, but giving them a chance to connect with others, take part in activities and receive useful information too.

All the community groups, churches, town and parish councils setting these spaces up locally are doing a remarkable job in supporting residents.

INFO: https://huntingdonshire.gov.uk/people-communities/warm-spaces/.