Hertfordshire warm spaces ready to support residents through winter
Community efforts provide warmth, companionship, and practical help
Last updated 25th Oct 2026
Warm spaces across Hertfordshire are preparing to welcome residents through another cold winter, offering warmth, companionship and practical support as households continue to face financial pressures.
Stuart Orton, operations director at Community Alliance Broxbourne and East Herts, said the spaces played a vital role in supporting people beyond simply providing somewhere warm to sit.
“Warm spaces are about much more than keeping warm,” he said. “They provide a safe and welcoming place where people can meet each other, they can access support, they can enjoy a hot drink and get advice.”
Community organisations are coordinating activities across Broxbourne and East Herts to ensure residents have somewhere warm, safe and welcoming to spend time during the colder months.
The spaces are open to everyone, including older residents, people living alone and families struggling with the cost of living.
Visitors can access practical advice on energy saving, money management and housing, as well as food bank referrals where needed.
Preparations are already under way, with activities being coordinated in village halls, community hubs and other local venues.
At the Skills and Learning Centre in Hertford, a weekly crafting café gives people the chance to learn new skills, including sewing and block printing, while meeting others. The sessions also provide opportunities for staff and volunteers to identify people who may need additional help.
Mr Orton said uptake was relatively high last winter and he did not expect demand to reduce this year. Organisers are ensuring venues have heating, sufficient staff and volunteers, and the resources needed to run sessions.
He said the spaces also helped strengthen communities by bringing people together and connecting them with local services.
“Residents meet neighbours they might not have spoken to before. They build friendships,” he said. “And it helps to create networks of support that continue beyond that warm space.”
Mr Orton stressed that nobody should feel embarrassed about attending.
“There is absolutely no stigma attached to using a warm space,” he said. “They are community spaces and they are open to everybody.”