Thanks to funding from Cadent Gas, ten community organisations in Harrow will be able to run Warm Hubs for vulnerable residents this winter, providing not just a warm, welcoming space but raising awareness about safety and keeping well. 

Cadent’s Centres for Warmth support people who are living in vulnerable situations, providing community centres with funding, resources and training to expand the service and trusted advice they offer to vulnerable households.

Lucy Nembaware from Cadent, attended one of the hubs being run by the African Cultural Association last week, handing out free carbon monoxide detectors and talking to visitors about gas safety.

As well as guest speakers covering topics such as health, safety and finances, the African Cultural Centre’s warm hub will be providing hot meals, keep fit classes, arts and crafts activities and games to over 40 people every week from their base in Canons Community Centre in Stanmore.

Marjorie Manu from the African Cultural Association said, “The people coming to the warm hub really benefit from having somewhere safe and warm they can come every week. They make friends and we get to know each other, which then makes it easier to offer advice and help.”

Phil Burrows, Cadent’s Head of Customer Vulnerability Social Programme said, “Alongside the improvement works we have been carrying out [in Harrow]…we are delighted to be able to support individuals in vulnerable situations – especially as we progress towards the winter period.”

Thanks to funding from Cadent, the hubs – which are open to everyone and offer safe, welcoming spaces, will be supported for the next 18 months. Age UK Harrow and Brent has also been funded as the project’s advice partner.

Rachel Wright, from Harrow Giving, adds “We have seen the awful tragedies in the news of gas-related accidents in people’s homes, so we want to make sure nothing like that happens in Harrow. This funding from Cadent will support vulnerable people to keep both warm and safe this winter.”

Visit www.harrowgiving.org.uk/hubs to find out which hubs are running, search by date or location and see what’s on offer.