Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland has joined with the Warm Welcome Campaign as its Volunteering Partner for 2023/24.

Rotary has 34,000 members in over 1,500 clubs in Great Britain and Ireland who volunteer their time and talents to tackle challenges at home and abroad. Rotary is bringing its knowledge and practice in volunteering to support thousands of warm spaces.

Last year over 17,000 volunteers gave their free time every week to support local people at warm spaces across the country. Yet 18% of warm spaces said that attracting volunteers was a major barrier to keeping their space open.

Amanda Watkin, general secretary of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland, said: “At Rotary we pride ourselves on being rooted within our local communities, working with them to tackle today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges. Whether it is running or volunteering at Warm Welcome Spaces in their local area, or using their networks to promote spaces to those who need it, our volunteer members will be stepping up this winter. As well as supporting visitors to spaces, we’re also excited to be sharing our expertise to enhance the volunteer experience as part of this partnership.”

Brenda Parsons, a member of Rotary who helped facilitate a Warm Space in Bromley last winter, added: "Our Warm Space was open to anyone in our local area. A cross-community collaboration, led by Rotary and supported by Orpington Methodist Church, and local organisations meant we were able to turn an existing fortnightly Wellbeing Café into a weekly one. We collected and distributed warm clothing, hosted chat buddy groups and knitting classes. It was so worthwhile.”

The Warm Welcome Campaign is open to any organisation or community group that has the space to create a welcoming place for people in their communities.

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