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Some of the mums we have contact with are carrying a lot of mental baggage that has built up over the years and is preventing them from engaging with other things.’

The lounge aims to alleviate social isolation and loneliness by being a focal point for the community. Its outside space helps provide this. In the winter they have a fire pit and in the summer months they have a gazebo with chairs so that people can sit outside more comfortably. There is also a dog bowl with treats and water so that regular dog-walkers can make it a stop on their walks and have a chat.

‘It welcomes people to the space,’ says Victoria. ‘They then gravitate inside and see what’s going on.’

As an open forum, where people can visit for a cup of tea and talk to others, the lounge provides some release from loneliness. As well as books spanning faith, fiction and non-fiction, activities on offer include organised crafts. They recently made and painted clay hearts, which were then hung around the local community as a random act of kindness.

‘One of our ladies is in her 80s,’ says Victoria. ‘The first week she came, she just observed. The next week she sat next to someone and taught them how to play Mahjong. This past week she had nearly the whole table playing it.

‘People come in alone and take a week or two or three to engage, depending on how confident they feel. They then progress to teaching others. Another lady who was really struggling came in and everyone offered help. There was a real sense of camaraderie as none of us here professes to being 100 per cent OK.’

The hub is not about fixing people’s problems but about ‘being present and prayerful’, explains Victoria.

‘We’re saying to people, “We know this is coming up, or we know this situation’s tricky, we will be praying for you.” It’s also recognising that the lounge is not a standalone thing. We connect and interact with many of the people who come to the lounge throughout the week, so there are ongoing conversations happening. The beauty of that is that it is a partnership between the three main churches in this area, so we have even more scope to be present in people’s lives at other times of the week.’

‘We’re using our love of God to love others. That’s what it’s about,’ affirms Shawn. ‘We have provided this space because we love God and we love others.’

GEORGE TANTON

Editorial Assistant Salvationist