believe housing grant helps church to support more people

A County Durham church has been able to extend its support to more people in need, thanks to grant funding from believe housing.

Bishop Auckland Baptist Church provides year-round support to the community, and during the winter, it ran a Winter Warm Space from the church hall, offering a lifeline to 50 to 70 local people struggling with the cost of living.

The community provision has been instrumental in tackling social isolation and loneliness by providing activities including Lego building, colouring sheets for adults, arts and crafts, jigsaws and a choir. Attendees also received blankets and toiletries and could use laundry facilities and the internet.

Marion Hodgson, from Bishop Auckland Baptist Church, said: “We are still seeing the continuing effect the cost-of-living crisis is having in our communities.

“This is why we continued to offer our warm space for anyone who needed help, whether it was from the cold, a chance to clean their clothes, or to see some friendly faces.”

With a community grant of £500 from believe housing, the church was able to provide food and refreshments for anyone using the space. Unsold food was shared among visitors and flasks and takeaway food were provided to homeless people.

Beau Mason, a Community Investment Coordinator at believe housing, said: “Bishop Auckland Baptist Church has been doing some fantastic work throughout the cost-of-living crisis.

“We were delighted to see that their space was able to support so many people in the local communities. Our funding, alongside the hard work of Marion and her team, meant that so many vulnerable people were able to keep warm and fed, as well socialise and meet new people