Care homes across Suffolk are set to become 'Warm Spaces' in a countywide effort to support people through a challenging winter.
National care provider Kingsley Healthcare has announced it will opening up all 28 of its sites to support the national Warm Spaces initiative launched to mitigate the impact of soaring energy costs.
This will include Woodbridge care homes Allonsfield House and Woodbridge Lodge, Hadleigh Nursing Home, Spring Lodge in Woolverstone, Oaklands in Diss, The Depperhaugh in Eye and Lowestoft's Kirkley Manor and Lilac Lodge & Lavender Cottage.
From Monday, November 14 and throughout the winter, elderly people will be welcomed at any of these homes to stay warm in a comfortable place between 10.30am and 4pm.
They will be offered unlimited hot drinks alongside soup and a roll if they attend at lunchtime.
Georgina Johnston, regional operations director at Kingsley, which has its headquarters in Lowestoft, Suffolk, said: “When we heard about the Warm Spaces initiative we thought care homes would be great places to support it.
“Our staff are really looking forward to giving a warm welcome to anyone who comes along.
We want them to feel at home so we will be offering them papers to read and inviting them to take part in any activities going on.
“We would just ask people to ring our homes beforehand and let them know they are coming.”
Kingsley is the latest organisation to take part in the Warm Spaces initiative.
As the cost of living continues to rise and energy bills soar, more and more people are seeking refuge in places offering a safe space to stay warm.
Last week, Suffolk Libraries announced a campaign to support vulnerable people through a challenging winter.
The Be Kind in Kind initiative will see The 'Be Kind in Kind' initiative will see the charity open all 45 of its libraries to surrounding communities.
Anyone is welcome to visit one of the sites to stay warm, eat and drink, meet people, learn new skills and access clothing from a 'kindness rack'.
A campaign also launched by the Suffolk Community Foundation, supported by this newspaper, called the 'Surviving Winter Appeal' is looking to support those struggling to pay their bills by providing grants to help people pay for fuel.
You can donate online by visiting www.suffolkcf.org.uk, calling 01473 602 602 or drop in to any branch of Suffolk Building Society to make a payment over the counter.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here