Community warm space a 'lifeline' for the lonely

A community centre is providing a "vital safety net" giving vulnerable people a warm and safe place to go.

The Crispin Community Centre, in Street in Somerset, is one of a number of spaces taking part in Warm Welcome Week, an initiative set up by the charity Spark Somerset to raise awareness of support available close to home.

Laura Bazley from the charity said: "People are having to make really difficult choices between essentials like food and heating."

Sue Buckman, a regular visitor who takes part in a weekly exercise class, said the centre is a "great lifeline for anyone that's feeling lonely or sad".

The centre is open daily for tea and coffee, a hot meal and weekly exercise and activity classes ran by a team of volunteers.

Manager Michaela Edmonds said the space offers people a reason to come out and engage with others.

"The volunteers here are everything. They are so reliable, so welcoming - they make the space what it is," added Edmonds.

Chris Wood has been running a sitting 'flexercise' class twice a week at the centre for almost 20 years.

"We have to stay in our chairs otherwise it would be chaos," she said.

She said each week she looks forward to the classes and, living alone, makes it "great to get out and to actually do something".

Wendy Devonish said she had been coming to the centre for 19 years for "the company, friendship and a bit of exercise" and said the fact that everybody is treated equally is a big plus.

"You could be living in a palace or you could be on the streets, but here everybody's equal," she added.

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