Grants are still available from Derbyshire County Council for charities, community and voluntary organisations to provide Warm and Welcoming Spaces this winter.
So far the county council has awarded more than £82,200 to 93 groups to help create spaces to support residents feeling lonely or struggling to heat their homes.
Organisations can still apply for up to £1,000 towards the cost of opening up new community venues or to extend their opening hours as the cold weather hits.
Money can be put towards running costs, including energy bills, or for the cost of providing a drink or a bite to eat for visitors.
In return, organisations need to pledge to provide a warm, safe space with comfortable seating which is free to use.
Councillor Carol Hart, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, said: “It can be a real struggle for people during the winter with dark nights and the cold weather, particularly if they’re on their own.
“I know that costs of things like energy and food are still really high, so I’d encourage anyone who is feeling lonely or struggling to heat their homes to visit a Warm and Welcoming Space near them.
“Last year, county council-funded warm spaces provided a refuge for almost 11,000 people – with around half of those visiting a warm space more than once as they enjoyed the companionship it offered.
“Of course, we couldn’t have done this without Derbyshire’s amazing network of charities, community and voluntary organisations and I’d like to thank them for their work to support Derbyshire residents, and I’d like to encourage them to apply for a grant this year so they can offer even more support to people by setting up a Warm and Welcoming Space in their community.”
Last year the grant scheme launched by the county council helped to fund more than 150 spaces supporting Derbyshire residents during the colder months.
Between them, they provided 17,000 hours of warmth and company for almost 11,000 Derbyshire residents.
The £150,000 Warm and Welcoming Space grant fund has come from Government money given to all local authorities to support communities during and after the covid pandemic.
People visiting Warm and Welcoming Spaces will also be offered information to help them with cost of living support, as well as advice on staying well in winter and looking after their mental health and well-being with information about community groups to tackle social isolation.
For more information about Warm and Welcoming Spaces and how to apply for a grant visit: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/warmspaces
Meanwhile all of Derbyshire County Council’s libraries are warm and welcoming spaces and people are welcome to visit during the library’s published opening hours to get warm, read a book or use the free wi-fi.
The county council has also put together a dedicated webpage of support and information to support Derbyshire residents who are struggling with the cost of living at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/costofliving