The Kirkdale St Lawrence Centre for Warmth, a brand new £500,000 community centre funded by gas distribution network Cadent, has officially opened its doors in Liverpool today.
The ambitious project – led by The Social Brokers in partnership with Cadent – will operate as a warm, safe space for the community, offering support through its primary project – Safer Homes Stronger Families.
Located on-site at Kirkdale St Lawrence Primary School, the Centre for Warmth was officially opened by former Liverpool captain, Jamie Carragher, as locals celebrated the opening of the new space.
The new centre, funded by Cadent via Ofgem’s Vulnerability Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA), has been designed by locals, for locals, to provide a safe space for parents, schoolchildren, and other community members for confidential discussions with trained professionals on topics ranging from, home safety, energy efficiency and benefit assessments as well as support for parents trying to apply for additional support for their children who have additional needs.
The Social Brokers will also continue to provide additional support to the school by the creation of a Family Support Worker role and also by co-ordinating a range of students who are able to help with one-to-one mentoring and learning. After-school homework clubs will also be created for neighbouring schoolchildren, and the centre will continue to work with the school to ensure it remains a supportive environment for those living in Kirkdale.
Pete Owens, Co-Founder at The Social Brokers, said: “The official opening of the Kirkdale St Lawrence Centre for Warmth is a significant moment for local residents. As one of the most deprived areas of Liverpool, we hope to establish the centre as a safe space for visitors to not only receive the support they need on home safety, energy efficiency and income maximisation, but also help to reduce loneliness and isolation for the wider community.
“The relationship with Kirkdale St Lawrence primary school is also crucial, as it has already established itself as a trusted space for parents and local residents. This has allowed us to quicky build the support we can offer here in our centre, bringing our experience and network to the area. We have already seen over 130 families benefit from our partnership with Cadent, but this is just the beginning.”
Visitors will be also able to take advantage of the many benefits that come with a Cadent Centre for Warmth. This includes carbon monoxide (CO) safety advice and the distribution of CO alarms for eligible households. Team members have also been trained to signpost residents to join the Priority Services Register, with a view to supporting 2,500 people.
Income maximisation advice, benefit checks and budgeting support will also be offered at the centre, thanks to a new partnership between the Social Brokers and local charity, Raise Advice. Visitors are already seeing the benefits of this service, with households seeing a total savings of over £100,000 since the partnership began.
One member of the community who has already received support from the new Centre for Warmth is Allison. She was first introduced to Social Brokers through a coffee morning in her son’s school and has received support from the team, including a CO alarm.
Allison said: “We have already benefited from the Centre for Warmth. The support from Raise has been fantastic, while the energy and carbon monoxide advice is really helpful. Importantly, the help we’ve received has had a positive impact on our mental health, and knowing this support is available right next the school, is amazing. There is no judgment, we always feel safe and welcome, and I’d recommend it to anyone who needs support in the area.”
The Kirkdale St Lawrence Centre for Warmth is a particularly significant community hub for Cadent, as it is the first ever centre that the UK’s largest gas network has funded to be newly built.
Phil Burrows, Head of Customer Vulnerability & Social Purpose at Cadent, added: “When we started working with The Social Brokers a year ago, we had a dream to build something special for the local community. Seeing the new facilities up and running, is something that we should all be proud of.
“For the residents of Kirkdale, we’ve built a new community hub for them to receive advice on energy, benefit entitlement and carbon monoxide that they can trust. Our mission is to ensure that our customers remain safe and warm in their homes, so teaming up with The Social Brokers to build our first ever Centre for Warmth from scratch, is a significant moment for Cadent. The team do such fantastic work in and around the community and we can’t wait to see the impact the Kirkdale St Lawrence Centre for Warmth has long into the future.”
About Cadent
Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy. We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change. Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency. Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing.