A warm welcome and Christmas presents at café site in Berwick town centre

Berwick Churches Together, along with other organisations in the town, started the warm spaces initiative in October amid concern that some people in the town will have to limit the amount of heating they use in their homes due to the cost-of-living crisis.

The group has gone on to add a ‘Christmas Presence’ space at a site that forms part of the ground floor of the Town Hall. It is adjacent to the Buttermarket and the entrance is from the pedestrianised side of Marygate.

For the rest of December, a wide range of Christmas presents are available for men, women and children – either free or for a small donation.

The Guild of Freemen has given permission for the area, which had been operated as a café since the late 1960s, to be used until the end of January. Named on the current poster for warm spaces as Town House Café, it runs from Tuesday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

The local Salvation Army has provided furniture and food items are provided by local supermarkets, shops and residents. There are more than 30 volunteers who look after the needs of the visitors and not all are members of a church.

Manager Stella McLaren said: “We are very fortunate to have received donations to help with the rent, insurance and food preparation and heating costs.

“We have applied to the Government for a Warm Hub grant. We hope we are successful as it costs about £350 a week to run.”