Horsham Matters is hoping to ease that worry by creating warm spacesfor members of the community to visit during the day and the charity is working with other organisations to create a directory of the warm spaces operating throughout the district over the coming months.

The spaces will offer a warm welcome and free hot drinks, with some offering hot meals and snacks. A current list of warm spaces can be found online at:

www. horshamdistrictwarmspaces.com

Sadly, the cost-of-living crisis has resulted in increased demand for all of Horsham Matters’ services, but particularly the foodbank as tight household budgets become stretched to breaking point. Over the past three months demand at Horsham Foodbank has doubled, with the pressures of Christmas expected to push more people to seek help, many for the first time in their lives.

As a result, the charity is opening an additional foodbank session and extending the opening hours of three others, taking the total of weekly mfoodbank sessions in central Horsham to seven and eight in outlying towns and villages. Horsham Matters not only provides emergency food, but also support services too, including budgeting, debt and benefits advice as well as counselling for foodbank clients.

To find out about accessing the foodbank and any of the support services, please call 0300 124 0204, option 1, or email info@horshammatters.org.uk

Horsham Matters' Warm Spaces

St Andrews Methodist Church,

Crawley Road, Roffey, RH12 4DX

Tuesday 11.30am to 1.30pm

Free tea, coffee, and other food available. This is

a cafe service, where you pay if you can afford to.

Age UK Lavinia house,

Dukes Square Horsham RH12 1GZ

Thursdays, 1.30pm to 3.30pm

Free tea, coffee and soup

Broadbridge Heath Parish Council Office,

Sargent Way, BBH, RH12 3TS

Thursdays, 10am to 2pm

Free tea, coffee, soup and wifi

If you are interested in volunteering at awarm space or know of someone that mightwant to get involved, please contact mike.pell@horsham-matters.org.uk.