Health and Wellbeing

A Safe, Warm, Well-come

Creating Warm Spaces for people in Mid & East Antrim

There is a cost-of-living crisis across the UK resulting in unprecedented pressures on people already in poverty.

This winter, despite the support given by Government, many people in Mid and East Antrim will have to make tough decisions about when they can afford to heat their home.

Within our Borough, we have strong and proud communities, with a tradition of helping each other as well as supporting themselves.

Safe, Warm, Well-Come Centres      Why we need Warm Spaces     Sharing Warm Spaces

Becoming a Warm Space     Warm Space small grant 

Directory of Resources & Assistance

We want to do more to help our communities and residents, delivering upon our vision to ensure that we:

  • Put people and families first
  • Tackle inequality so people have a fair chance
  • Build capacity within our communities to improve resilience and to support themselves and each other
  • Work together to address the issues that organisations working individually cannot achieve alone

In doing so, we wish to work with our local communities, building on the great work we did during the pandemic, to help people reconnect after Covid, whilst at the same time creating a network of Warm Spaces - places where our residents can come together to stay warm, perhaps enjoy a cup of tea and some companionship, and be supported.

Why we need Warm Spaces

By January 2023 it is estimated that over half of households in the UK (15 million) will be in fuel poverty – spending over 10 per cent of net income on fuel. In Northern Ireland, this figure could be over 70%.

This means over 1.4 million people here will be struggling to afford their energy bills.

The crippling cost of living is pushing people in Northern Ireland into making increasingly desperate decisions week-to-week.

We are all hearing heartbreaking stories of people skipping meals, turning off their heating, sitting in the dark with no electricity and making their own sanitary products because they simply can’t afford to get by any other way.

Although the proposals for central government assistance are still evolving, the reality is that for most families any direct support they receive to go towards their energy costs may not be enough to make a difference.


Register of Safe, Warm, Well-Come Centres

Name and Address of Centre

Operating dates and times

Brief Description of Activity

Contact details for more information

Straid LOL 521
21 Ballymontenagh Road
Gracehill
BT42 2QG

7pm to 10pm on the following evenings:

7 December 2023
14 December 2023
11 January 2024
25 January 2024

Darts, Board games, Tea, Coffee, Soft drinks, Food

Contact: D Tennant
M: 07835 893 841

Home-Start East Antrim

Oakfield Community Centre

Oakfield Drive
Carrickfergus
BTBT38 7SP

Weekly Tuesday mornings

from 9 January 2024 to 6 February 2024

9.30am – 11.30am

5 week warm space sessions open to support local parent carers who have a child under 5 and are parenting/caring for a child with a disability.

Parents and carers, can benefit from meeting other parents in a similar situation, gain peer support, alongside specialist family support services and information from Home Start and other local providers.

Alongside the theme of positive mental health, we will deliver weekly information and support on themes of winter well-being, keeping warm on a budget, accessing entitlements and cooking healthy meals on a budget.

Sarah Williams
Family Support Coordinator
Home-Start East Antrim

M: 07548 312 899
E: sarah.williams@homestarteastantrim.org.uk   

Broughshane Community Center
21 Knockan Road
Broughshane
BT42 4JY

Every Thursday from 12noon until 2pm

Term-time only

Varied activities such a musical events, quizzes, games, arm-chair aerobics and guest speakers on a variety of topics specific to the elderly .

Broughshane Community Office
Broughshane House
70 Main Street
Broughshane
BT42 4JW

T: 028 2586 2777

The Carson Centre
176 Queen Street
Ballymena
BT42 3HQ

10 week program

11.30am to 1.30pm:

- 19 January 2024
- 2 and 16 February 2024
- 1, 15 and 29 March 2024
- 12 and 26 April 2024
- 10 and 24 May 2024

Warm Space open to all a safe place where people can call in and get warm and get a cuppa (tea/coffee) and something to eat and enjoy the company of others receive information and we will offer activities on some weeks

E: ronda.carsonproject@yahoo.com
M: 07500 334 331

The Carson Project facebook page advertises a reminder every Thursday regarding what’s happening.

Harryville Mens Shed 

Monday to Friday

9.30am to 1.30pm

Hot meal

Tea and coffee

Warm and safe space to address social isolation 

Contact: Jim McIlroy
Project Coordinator

M: 07856 399 282
E: jimmmcilroy36@gmail.com

Ballygally Hall
264 Coast Road
Ballygally
Larne
BT40 2QX

Wednesdays:

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 January 2024 and

7 & 14 February 2024 from 3pm to 5pm

The Committee Room in Ballygally Hall will be made available to local residents on Wednesday afternoons on selected dates in January and February from 3pm to 5pm.

Those attending will be able to enjoy a free tea/coffee plus a biscuit. 

Those attending can also avail of daily newspapers and recent magazines plus jigsaws, games/puzzles and book swaps.

Contact: Hall Manager, Ballygally Hall

E: bcdaltd@btconnect.com
T: 028 2858 1050

All Saints Parish and Community Centre
9 Cushendall Rd
Ballymena
BT43 6HA

9.30am – 12.30pm

Monday - Friday

Providing Tea, Coffee, Scones or Soup.

Modest library and wifi available.  

Contact: Old School Café

M: 07879 774 749

Linn Road Community Centre
241 Linn Road
Larne
BT40 2AH

Every Monday

12noon - 2pm

Warm soup, tea/coffee

Meeting others and guest speakers

Contact: Deborah Neill or Annette White

E: infor@larnecdp.org.uk

T: 028 2827 8199

Wellington Recreation Football Club
1 Willowbank Road
Millbrook
Larne
BT40 2SF

Saturday & Sundays
11am to 7 pm  

Come along and watch our matches at our football ground in our covered terrace or stay indoors and watch sky tv to view all your favorite sports.

Get a free  tea /coffee and biscuits with soup / stew  and sandwiches from 3pm.

Newspapers will also be provided.

Everyone welcome!

Any information needed please contact club directly on Facebook or just call in when open!

Suit 5
Carrickfergus Cultural Centre
Carrickfergus Enterprise Building
8 Meadowbank Rd
Carrickfergus
BT388YF 

Every Saturday, between 11 am to 1pm

from 27 January to 24 February 2024

Introducing a five-week series of warm space sessions tailored exclusively for local parents, carers, and the broader community. Sessions are specifically scheduled on weekends to accommodate those employed during weekdays.

This initiative offers parents and carers a chance to connect with others experiencing similar challenges, cultivating peer support. Participants can also tap into specialized family support services and receive valuable information on managing their work-family life, as well as insights into handling responsibilities associated with raising children. Aligned with the positive mental health theme, each week will include discussions and support sessions covering winter well-being, budget-friendly warmth solutions, navigating entitlements, and preparing nutritious meals within a budget.

Contact: Dr Zeeshan Tariq

E: Zeeshan.ads@gmail.com

M: 07438 369 396

Sharing Warm Spaces with Mid & East Antrim residents

We know that many of our partners across Mid and East Antrim already provide this type of facility or have somewhere that might be suitable to act as a Warm Space.

We would ask you to consider sharing your facilities and services as part of this initiative.

Do you have a Warm Space already or are you interested in creating one?

We can provide you with assistance to create or enhance a Warm Space.

We will provide you with a Warm Space Charter (see below) and we can send you guidance in the form of a toolkit to explain how to prepare to operate as a Warm Space as well as useful information to support both your organisation/group and local residents.


Becoming a Warm Space

If you want to offer a Warm Space download a copy of the Warm Space Charter and the Warm Space Toolkit.

The Charter will let people know what to expect when they step across the threshold of a Warm Space building; a guarantee of respect, dignity and warmth.

The Warm Space Toolkit includes information on:

  • Understanding the Warm Space Charter
  • Things to consider in preparing your venue to receive visitors
  • Ideas for activities, amenities and facilities
  • How to provide signposting for visitors to access advice, advocacy, and support particularly around energy advice, available grant schemes etc

In addition, you'll receive our Safe Warm Welcome logo so you can create your own materials to promote your Warm Space.

Please note, Warm Space participants will be expected to adhere to their own risk assessments and safeguarding policies and ensure that all staff and volunteers are briefed on these procedures.


Warm Space small grant programme

Small grants (up to £500) can be awarded to organisations in Mid and East Antrim for the creation and improvement of Warm Spaces for local communities, leading to a positive difference for those living in the area.

The fund is titled, "Covid-19 Community Recovery Warm Spaces Grant Scheme - Call 4.

Council funding can be used for a variety of warm space-related activities to benefit the local community, including cooking equipment such as slow cookers to make a hearty soup, or help towards venue hire costs or refreshments.

It can also be used to organise activities that will help bring the most vulnerable residents together and boost their mental and emotional well-being.

For those attending warm space venues, Council will provide information packs with practical advice on keeping safe and warm this winter.

There will also be further help on how to get more specialist advice for particular challenges.

Apply now on MEA Grants