A NEW “warm space” initiative at the Kings Arms Community Hub in Wellington has got off to a slow start.

But members of Wellington Town Council’s community committee believe the project, which started at the beginning of January, will grow with time.

The council’s community development officer, Laura Batcha, told councillors on January 19 that the Warm Welcome Cafe was available on Mondays from 4 pm to 8 pm and then again on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm.

But admitted there were “small numbers at the moment” attending the sessions where people can get some warmth, social interaction and enjoy toasted sandwiches and soup.

“We are looking to grow and get busier,” she said.

Councillors were told that the Monday session was at a later time to allow for those who may work and also for those with schoolchildren to attend – recognising that just because people are in employment, it does not mean to say that they might not need the benefits of a warm space.

Cllr Andrew Govier said: “We need to grow this at a sustainable rate.”

It was suggested that the council needed to look at how it advertised the Warm Welcome Café initiative at the community hub in the High Street – to make sure the message was getting to its target audience.

Cllr Justin Cole said: “The people we’re trying to reach might not all be on social media.”

The council’s chief executive Dave Farrow suggested that “schools were key” in getting the message out to parents via newsletters – especially for the 4 pm to 8 pm session on a Monday.

It comes at a time when St John’s Church in Wellington announced at the end of last year that with “deep regret” it was stopping its warm space on a Friday due to understaffing.