Partnership helping to provide warm space for those in need

Stafford Rangers Football Club have opened up one of its rooms at the ground on Astonfields Road to provide a Warm Space for vulnerable and isolated people.

The project, which is being run in partnership with House of Bread, has been in action for several weeks, running on every Monday and Wednesday between 10am and 1pm.

Club volunteer Alison Broom spoke about the project and how it had been received so far.

She said: "It was an opportunity to come together as a community club and we wanted to open the club up to people who are vulnerable, homeless or would just like to come and sit and have a chat and a cup of tea, play some games or watch the television.

"There's always a warm welcome and there's usually four or five of us from the club who are there and, so far, it's been a great success, with lots of different people coming in.

"We have one of our bigger rooms open and we'll provide food and drink, hot and cold, and if anyone wants some soup or snacks or anything like that, then we can provide that for them."

Ms Broom said she had got to know some of the people from House of Bread, which provides food and support to people struggling through the cost of living crisis, and said she had spent some time helping the charity.

She said: "I was invited down to help make pizzas at House of Bread and it was a lovely way to help them and bring people together.

"I've donated to them in the past, but to be able to go there in a volunteer capacity and sit and chat to people was great."

Ms Broom said the partnership between the two organisations was a great way to help people who might feel isolated as they can't access the centre of Stafford.

"It's great to partner with them for this project as we're on the other end of town and while people know what's in the centre of town, there's this whole area that doesn't get the same opportunities.

"People can't get into the town centre because of public transport and things like that, so they've come to us and they've thanked us for being on their doorstep, so it's been really humbling."

The Warm Spaces project is due to run until the end of March, but Ms Broom said there might be scope to extend it.

She said: "Some of the guys have asked about going on walks and we are getting more and more people, so we have talked about extending this further.

"If we can carry on after the end of March, then let's do it as it's getting people out who might live on their own and don't speak to anyone and it gets them out of their homes and speaking to people.

"If we can keep doing that and help people get out of their homes and go for a walk, then we'd definitely love to extend this further."

To find out more about the project, go to staffordrangersfc.co.uk/warm-spaces-is-back