Local communities have stepped up in many ways to support their neighbours through the cost of living crisis. This includes groups with spaces, or those who are able to provide furnishings, activities, advice and support. Libraries and other local authority contacts are a useful first point of contact for these groups and some, like Stockton, have introduced pots of funding to support their communities’ work.
Welcoming people into your space is vital to ensuring that those who need it most feel able to use your space. Hostmanship is the art of making people feel welcome. Jan Gunarsson maps out six key areas of this: serving, maintaining the big picture, taking responsibility, caring, knowledge and dialogue. Please see attached document.