What are 'Places of Welcome'?
Strengthening Communities staff support a network of Places of Welcome across the whole of the Lichfield Diocese, which includes The Black Country, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and northern Shropshire. Each venue has at least one coordinator and a team of volunteers.
Strengthening Communities can advise co-ordinators and volunteers and provide support on:
- set up / reopening
- publicity
- volunteers
- hospitality
They also create peer networks for coordinators to learn together and from each other.
Places of Welcome all share 5 values, that all begin with ‘P’
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PLACE An accessible and hospitable building, open at the same time every week
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PEOPLE Open to everyone regardless of their circumstances or situation, and staffed by volunteers
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PRESENCE A place where people actively listen to one another
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PROVISION Offering free refreshments (at least a cup of tea and a biscuit) and basic local information
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PARTICIPATION Every person will bring talents, experiences and skills that they may be willing to share locally
Start your own Place of Welcome
We are proud to work with the national Places of Welcome team at the Church Urban Fund to help groups become Places of Welcome and to promote the network across the country.
We aim to create a movement of welcome and hospitality for all. Interested to find out more about Places of Welcome, or want help setting one up? You can find out more at www.placesofwelcome.org.uk.
This website includes a link to the online registration process Places of Welcome are now using; the application can be found at: https://cuf.tfaforms.net/f/pofw, along with a helpful interactive map of all the 800+ locations to date in this growing network. For printable lists of our local Places of Welcome by local authority area, please click on the name of the area or areas of interest, or contact strengtheningcommunities@lichfield.anglican.org
