Today we are in Stoke-on-Trent, to find out about the fantastic work that is being done to serve the people of Meir Park by the team at the Love Stoke Church who run the community centre and Love Coffee, a community coffee shop. They have been active for over 15 years, providing care, friendship, advice and a place for clubs and groups to meet. They have many organisations that use the space, from an over 55 club through to Karate and much more. 

Our Head of Communications, Luke Upton, this week caught up with Rob and Em Price from Love Stoke Church, to find out more about the impact of a recent National Grid Community Matters Fund (Fuel Poverty) grant supported by Localgiving to enable a project distributing warm packs to the elderly and offering an opportunity to attend a warm space in the community café. This support has also allowed them to open for more hours and keep the heating on longer.

“A big thank you to National Grid and Localgiving for the Community Matters Fund grant, which is helping many people in our community. We have given out over 120 warm packs so far. Each contains a warm blanket, a wheat warm bag, a radiator key and a voucher for free tea or coffee till the end of March at our community coffee shop. They have been very well received, being used daily in this cold weather and those who have received them are also regularly calling into the warm place. This is making a huge impact for people who would be cold and lonely otherwise.

Just last Wednesday we had over 30 people come into Love Coffee throughout the day for a free hot drink, to keep warm and have a good chat and build new friendships. We are monitoring the drinks vouchers through our till to give us an idea how many people are using it. It’s not just those who have received a warm pack who can come to the warm space, the facility is crucial in helping people combat loneliness, improve mental health and, of course keep warm and save money on energy bills. Our staff are all volunteers and welcome everyone with a smile and a huge if required!”

Two of the attendees at this week’s Love Coffee warm space were also able to share their thoughts.

Cathaline Simpson (age 86): "The Meir Park Heat Packs have kept me warm and cosy. Thank you so very much for helping provide them. The hot drink vouchers are a great added bonus which I enjoy in a warm place with my friends"

Jean Hamilton (age 93) added: “The Meir Park Heat Pack has been well used - the radiator key I have already used a few times and my neighbour has used it too. The warm blanket I use most nights and it keeps me so warm. The free hot drinks in the warm coffee shop I use most weeks as well. Thank you so much!”

Learn more the work being done in Meir Park by clicking here.