A CHURCH initiative to keep Islanders who are struggling with the cost of living warm in the winter is also seeking to combat “hidden loneliness” in the Island.
Associate Rector James Porter said the Town Church was once again running its Warm Welcome Spaces scheme this winter, enabling people to come into the church during the day, be warm, have a drink and something to eat while making use of the space.
It also has play areas for children, work stations and free Wi-Fi.
Mr Porter explained that the local iteration of Warm Welcome Spaces – which was first introduced at the Town Church in 2022 – stemmed from a wider campaign in the UK.
He continued: “Last year we did the initiative, really, on the back of the emerging cost of living crisis. Particularly out of a concern that there would be a number of people, either in town or the Island, who may be struggling to make ends meet for various reasons.
“So providing a warm and welcoming space where they could come and find physical warmth, we thought might be a really useful thing for the community.”
The church is open from 8am to 6pm and, between 3pm and 5pm there will also be board games and other activities with volunteers manning the space.
Mr Porter added: “The reason for that is because last year, when everyone finished the warm welcome, the consensus both from what we found and what was found in the UK, was that actually physical warmth wasn’t what people are coming into the spaces for – it was actually for the relational connection. Therefore, we really wanted to make sure that we engage people relationally.”
In Statistics Jersey’s latest Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, a quarter of respondents reported feeling lonely often or some of the time.
Mr Porter added: “We found last year actually, there were there were a number of lonely people here in Jersey, maybe more so than we realise – and that came across in the UK as well.
“I think there’s a lot of hidden loneliness and it’s not just who you might think might be lonely in a stereotypical way.”
