Warm spaces: Leeds church leaders set to open their doors to those struggling to pay energy bills this winter

A Leeds vicar has said many in his congregation are “frightened to look more than two weeks ahead”, as Ofgem’s energy price cap is set to rise dramatically this month, leading to more expensive gas and electricity for everyone in the UK.

Despite extra government help for the rocketing bills in the coming weeks, many families are not expecting to see their costs covered against a backdrop of rising mortgage and food prices.

Rev Richard Dimery has been the vicar at Pudsey Parish Church since 2017. Along with members of his church, Richard set up Pudsey Community Project, which incorporates a food bank and a children’s clothing project.

“There are ways we have tried to serve and bless the local community,” he said. “It is what the Church of England is there for.

"Over the summer, we had a couple of days during the worst of the heatwave where we opened the church as a cold sanctuary – it was easy because it’s a big old stone building.

"The benefit of doing that is that it’s basically free – the building is already cool. In winter you have to pay for heating.

"But we still felt it was really important for us to provide a warm space.”

He said the planning for the dates was still taking place, adding it would be “impossible” to heat the 650-capacity church building 24/7.

"We are trying not just to provide a warm space, but to provide a welcoming community atmosphere,” he said. “We will show films and have hot drinks and board games. People will be able to work here with the free wifi.

"We want it to be more of a community space rather than a refuge, so people shouldn’t feel singled out if they come here. This cost of living crisis affects everybody.”

The vicar said he doesn’t know a single person who is not going to be negatively affected by the price rises.

"I think everybody I’ve spoken to about it is highly concerned,” he added. "The foodbank at the community project is seeing demand spike – each week is busier than the week before with people saying they can’t afford heating and feeding their family.

"I’ve spoken to people at foodbanks outside Leeds who are either rationing their medical equipment, if they have disabilities, or some are getting ill because they are turning their fridges off overnight and they were getting food poisoning from the bacteria.

"There is just a fear of looking more than one or two weeks ahead.

“It’s not going to be a quick fix either. Whatever happens this winter, I would be surprised if there was huge change before next winter.”

Elizabeth Smith is lead steward at St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Beeston.

The church already opens its doors for a Wednesday lunch club for local people, but demand has surged in recent months, and the church is now set to open a breakfast club and warm space twice a month over the winter.

Elizabeth, who has volunteered with the church for 45 years, said: “When it was first mooted about bills going up, I thought people were going to struggle.

“Beeston is a deprived area. There is a lot of poverty here, and I thought we could help.

"People are now really worried – but at these things, people can tell their stories and others can know they are not alone.”

She added that the church has already had to step in and help one of its parishioners who was living alone and was destitute.

"The problem is, nobody wants something for nothing, and nobody wants to be seen as a charity case,” she said. “So we tell people to pay what they can.”

The new breakfasts will take place in the church hall the first and last Wednesday of every month. during the winter.

Leeds City Council says it wants to create a full list of community warm spaces available for individuals and families that are struggling.

The council’s executive member for communities, Mary Harland (Lab), said: “Leeds City Council is working with partners to deliver and promote warm places across the city, with plans being developed on how best to co-ordinate city-wide provision so as many people as possible are aware of and able to use these services.

"One example of the work being done is the development of a searchable website which, upon entering a postcode, will provide a map of nearby warm places (provided by all partners), their opening times and the services available. We aim to get this site live as soon as possible with initial warm spaces (such as the Council’s Community Hubs and Libraries) and will add new venues as and when they are up and running.

“Central to the Council's provision will be the promotion of Community Hubs and Libraries where ‘A warm welcome awaits”’; in addition to the existing services offered by libraries, including free access to books, computers and wi-fi, the warm places provision will focus on free hot refreshments and activities to do in the library, especially for children and families.

"The Community Hubs and Libraries in Leeds offer a wrap-around service where support with housing, council tax and benefits is offered alongside standard library services.”

What else would Rev Dimery like to see happen from Government?

"If nothing can be done to make fuel more affordable in the short term, things have to be done to ensure people don’t suffer and die as a result,” he said.

"We know people will almost certainly die of hypothermia in Leeds over this next winter. We want to be part of the solution, rather than just looking on.”