Over two-hundred Places of Welcome are now supported by the Diocese of Lichfield across the Black Country, Staffordshire, Stoke-On-Trent and northern Shropshire - that’s one in four of the Places of Welcome within the national network created by Church Urban Fund and Near Neighbours across England and Wales. The 200th Place of Welcome is at St Thomas Church, Bloxwich and other Places of Welcome celebrating this milestone include Stoke City Football Club, Holy Trinity Church, Heath Town, Wolverhampton and Lichfield’s Garrick Theatre.
Places of Welcome are volunteer run and offer year-round friendship, chat and free refreshments, indoors and outdoors, including in churches, mosques, temples, community centres, libraries, theatres, gardens, football clubs and even bus stations. As winter draws on, indoor ones may also appeal as somewhere warm.
Anyone can visit. Pat Garner from Rocester said: “It makes me feel happy to be among other people and enjoy their company. We always have a good chat and a laugh.”
The Rt Revd Matthew Parker, Acting Bishop of Lichfield said: “Places of Welcome could be called Places of Hope. I am sure the natural warmth of people in the Midlands plays a part in their success.”
At St Andrew’s Church Hall, Church Aston, Margaret, a volunteer, jokes that she never actually put her name down to be involved as she thought she was doing enough, but she’s “been here ever since”. That was over two years ago.
Nadine Wilkinson, Patrnerships Manager for the Church Urban Fund and Places of Welcome, recognised the "huge contribution" of Carrie Blount amd Lesley Bovington, who co-ordinate the Places of Welcome network in Lichfield Diocese adding: “Lichfield Diocese’s Places of Welcome embody the unique and diverse places in neighbourhoods where everyone can go for a friendly face, cup of tea and a conversation if they need it and generously supported by the church - good news for so many people!"
There are further celebrations of this milestone this month to which all are welcome:
- Wednesday 13 November 9.30 - 11.30 at St Thomas’ Church Place of Welcome, Cresswell Crescent, Bloxwich, WS3 2UW.
- Friday 22 November 10.00 - 12.00 at The Lichfield Garrick Theatre Place of Welcome, The Green Room Cafe, Castle Dyke, Lichfield, WS13 6HR
- Friday 22nd November 10:30 - 12:00 at Carter’s Lane Baptist Church Place of Welcome, Carters Lane, Halesowen, B62 0BX
- Saturday 30 November 10:30 - 12:30 at Holy Trinity Church Place of Welcome, Bushbury Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, WV10 0LY
images: [top] Julia Mitchell (High Sheriff of Stafforshire), Rt Revd Matthew Parker (Bishop of Stafford), Carrie Blount (Places of Welcome oordinator, Lichfield Diocese): [middle] Carrie and Lesley Bovington (Places of Welcome coordinators, Lichfield Diocese) greet Cllr Lyn Sharpe (Mayor of Stoke-upon-Trent) and guests as they arrive at the Stoke City Place of Welcome: [bottom] The Stoke City Place of Welcome was particularly busy with extra guests, but much of the usual activities took place, with quizzes, bingo (called by Stoke City staff member), chair dancing in which both the mayor and bishop participated with gusto) and much cake and coffee consumed. More images on our Flickr site.