Welcome space wraps up

A PROJECT to give people struggling with heating bills somewhere warm to go during the winter has held its final session.

The Hillfields Library Welcome Space was one of dozens set up around the city where people could come and relax, warm up, have a drink and find things to do.

Running every Monday between noon and 6pm from December to April, it was set up by volunteer group the Friends of Hillfields Library in coordination with the city council.

People were offered cups of tea and coffee and activities, with children offered toys to play with and films to watch.

Food parcels were also offered to people who needed them, along with advice on support payments.

Coordinator Sarah Rogers said: "We have had on average 100 people to our Welcome Space every week since we opened in December, our volunteer group have done over 200 hours of volunteering and we've handed out £8,000 of food parcels."

As the sessions drew to an end people who came to the Welcome Space wrote cards to thank the volunteers and say what the group meant to them.