Community Hot-Spots
2024/25
Like never before, Norfolk communities pulled together this winter to knit a network of support across our county
Reflecting on the second year of our Community Hot-Spots, it’s clear just how vital these spaces have become for the people of Norfolk. Last winter alone, more than 2,000 individuals visited our 110 warm spaces each week. For nearly 70% of them, the primary reason wasn’t just to escape the cold—it was to find connection and combat loneliness.
These spaces have proven to be more than just a refuge from the elements; they are lifelines. For just £20 per person, we were able to provide not only warmth but also the sense of belonging and support that so many desperately needed during the colder months.
Encouragingly, over half of the groups who hosted a Hot-Spot in the first year chose to continue in the second, with some even extending their efforts year-round. Thanks to additional funding through Love Norfolk, these year-round Hot-Spots have become permanent fixtures in their communities, offering consistent support well beyond the winter.
Community Hot-Spots have shown us that a simple, warm space can transform lives—turning isolation into connection and struggle into hope.
Thank you
We could only provide this innovative network thanks to ordinary people in Norfolk who continued to donate to our Surviving Winter campaign. This year, we funded 79 Community Hot-Spots.
Community Hot-Spots 2024/25:
What We’ve Learned from Year 2 of Community Hot-Spots
- Last winter, over 2,000 people visited our 110 warm spaces across Norfolk each week.
- Loneliness was identified as the main reason for visiting by almost 70% of Hot-Spots.
- Hot-Spots provided social connection all winter for just £20 per head.
- Over half of groups who ran a Hot-Spot in Year 1 ran one in Year 2, too.
- Several of groups kept their Hot-Spots running year-round, thanks to additional funding through Love Norfolk.
These spaces are not just a source of warmth, but a lifeline for many who would otherwise be isolated and struggling.
The difference we made together…
“It’s so nice to come in and sit down with someone else and have a meal. It may only be a soup and roll but, you know, it’s company.”
“Being able to get out to a place like this that’s really welcoming is great. It gives people a reason to get out and also to keep you in touch with the outside world. Every one is lovely here and we enjoy a cuppa and a treat in the warmth”
We were able to deliver this programme thanks to contributions from the public into our Surviving Winter fund.
There’s a warm welcome near you…
Alongside Norfolk’s libraries and church groups, Norfolk Community Foundation’s Community Hot-Spots helped fill the gaps in provision to make sure that people had a warm space near them. The Warm Welcome website shows many different places where people went to be warm and well this winter in Norfolk.
