Wellingborough's Victoria Centre hosts weekly warm rooms to help fight winter blues

Wellingborough residents will have the opportunity to ‘beat the heating costs’ at the Victoria Centre after a new weekly warm room began on November 15.

Funded by North Northamptonshire Council, the warm room gives people from the Victoria ward of Wellingborough the opportunity to shelter from the cold and socialise with other residents, play board games, and enjoy a free meal like soup, sandwiches, baked potatoes and beans on toast. It is available on Tuesdays from 10am until 4pm, and will run for 14 consecutive weeks until February 28.

The cost of living crisis has everyone feeling the pinch, so to have a local community centre offering respite for a while is a welcome addition to the town.

The warm room is free to attend.

Kevin Johnstone, manager of the Victoria Centre, said: “People can go to pubs or cafes but they’re relatively expensive pastimes.”

The benefits of the warm room align with the Victoria Centre’s core values as it brings together people from different backgrounds and gives local residents the opportunity to engage with the community. The organisation has been helping make Wellingborough a more diverse and inclusive place for 43 years, and has had a hand in so many developments that have made Wellingborough what it is today.

This news follows another weekly warm room event that began in Rushden Hall, which has been a success and hopes to continue into the new year.

More information about the Victoria Centre can be found at https://www.victoriacentre.org.uk/.