About Warm Hubs
This website is to help support organisations in the UK set up a Warm Hub scheme in their area. It provides training via a toolkit of guidance, to ensure the Warm Hubs they support are meeting the Warm Hub principles.
The toolkit is open to any organisation wanting to support the development of a Warm Hub in their area. This could range from a group of volunteers with a building open to the public, who are willing to support the Warm Hub principles, right up to a Local Authority wishing to start a scheme in their area.
History of Warm Hubs
Warm Hubs were created by the charity Community Action Northumberland (CAN) in 2015 as places within the local community where people could be assured of finding a safe, warm and friendly environment in which to enjoy refreshments, social activity, information, advice, access to services and the company of other people. They are run by volunteers from the local community for the local community and are not-for-profit, with no charge for attendance (unless food is provided) and open to everyone.
They began as a response to tackling fuel poverty alongside the issue of rural isolation being a significant barrier to reaching many of those most in need.
CAN has a long history of working with rural communities and a strong network of links with community anchors such as parish councils and village halls. We believe that village halls and other community buildings provide a natural access point through which to engage local communities especially in hard to reach areas.
Energy Crisis sparks growth of project
There has been huge interest over the past 12 months in the project, driven by the energy crisis and impending fuel poverty many people will face with rising energy bills. Many organisations like CAN want to run their own Warm Hubs schemes in their area and learn how to do this effectively.
In response to this, CAN in partnership with Northern Gas Networks, has created this website and toolkit to provide guidance and training to organisations wishing to manage a scheme in their area. The project has grown beyond Northumberland and is being replicated by other organisations across the UK at a rapid pace. As of October 2023 the toolkit has now expanded to include anyone wanting to set up an individual Warm Hub.
We hope this toolkit can provide a useful framework to enable others to create their own Warm Hub scheme to benefit their local communities.
I want to set up an individual Warm Hub – what do I do?
If you have a community building and want to create your own Warm Hub you can use this Toolkit as guidance.
We also recommend you get in touch with your local voluntary support agency or local authority. If you are in a rural area check this directory from ACRE to find your local contact.
Warm Hub Principles
Energy is the main theme running across the Warm Hub scheme, with three key areas of focus:
1. The Building
To support village halls/community buildings aiming to decarbonise, reduce energy bills, repair and upgrade them for future generations.
2. Volunteers
To support volunteers running the Warm Hubs with energy-related training as well as other areas including dementia awareness, first aid, fire safety, food safety and Safeguarding.
3. Community
Each Warm Hub will be run by local people for local people –independently tailored to ensure the scheme best meets the needs of their own community.
How can a venue become a Warm Hub?
To become a Warm Hub and display our Trademark logo you must ensure:
- The building is ‘fit for purpose’. This will involve carrying out risk assessments, energy audits and accessibility checks.
- Governance and policies are in place.
- Appropriate insurances and licences have been acquired.
- Suitable volunteer recruitment processes are in place.
- Volunteers receive ongoing support and training in Dementia Awareness, Food Safety, Equality and Diversity, First Aid and more.
These checks form the basis of the toolkit, allowing you to confirm these are in place and offering further guidance where needed.
About the Toolkit
This toolkit will take you through 3 training modules offering guidance to ensure any building, volunteers and community meet the requirements of a Warm Hub Scheme. The toolkit is a series of questions with checkboxes to tick off. You can pause and save your progress, returning at a later date with information saved ready to return to.
A Simple Sign-up Process
1
Register online to join the scheme. This will need to be approved by a CAN administrator before you can begin the toolkit.
2
Once registered, begin working through the 3 training modules in the toolkit.
3
After completing the three modules you'll receive a checklist of guidance to use with your Warm Hubs and be part of the network of Warm Hubs.
Funders of the Warm Hubs scheme
Thanks to Northern Gas Networks for supporting this scheme from its inception, and to Northumberland County Council.
Northern Gas Networks - our role in Warm Hubs
As a business at the heart of the region, our responsibility goes much further than delivering a good service for gas customers.
It’s about being a positive influence on the communities we live and work in, and supporting the most vulnerable groups and individuals in our society.
Tackling the issues associated with fuel poverty is often even more challenging in rural communities.
Rural isolation presents a significant barrier to those often most in need, but through initiatives such as Warm Hubs and working with trusted partners like CAN, we’re helping to make a difference.
Over the next four years, thanks to £5 million Ofgem VCMA funding – specifically designed to tackle issues associated with vulnerability and awareness of carbon monoxide through new innovations and initiatives – we’re using some of that money to support a Warm Hubs toolkit.
This project will ensure the original model can be replicated and adopted in rural communities across our network, just as successfully as it was in Northumberland, with appropriate rules and governance in place.
As a successful Trademarked initiative, we’re hopeful that through the toolkit, Warm Hubs will be taken up by other energy networks and their partners across the UK.
You can learn more about the VCMA projects NGN is supporting at the link below.
