Redcatch Community Church: Warmth & Welcome

Case Study: Redcatch Community Church provided a place for people in Knowle to stay connected and warm

Redcatch Community Church is near the Broad Walk centre in Knowle and has been running a Winter Warm Space since December 2022.

As part of a network of 80 spaces across Bristol, it was initially started in response to the cost of living and energy crisis. Quickly however, the church recognised that local people were struggling not just with the challenge of warmth but also with loneliness and a lack of community. 

‘We've really felt as a church that somehow we have to step up and help people locally to just give them an alternative space to their own home, really in many ways where they can just switch their heating off and know that there's a warm space, a healthy space, a good space, a dynamic space for them to come to keep warm” said Redcatch Community Church leader Matt Norris.

“It's not just about energy crisis. There's a lot of isolation around a lot of people who are struggling in many, many different ways in this area.”

Redcatch Community Church, like many other winter warm space across the city, found that issues around isolation were some of the key reasons why people attended. The church found that working people from the area would also drop in fro a ‘nice, warm, hot meal before they go back out to work’.

‘We've really found it a very beneficial thing for the community and for churches profile in this community.’

Through local awareness, the church is able to play its part and partner with other local groups.

Like many other warm spaces or smaller projects, the church also has running cost challenges.

‘So we as a church are in the cost of living crisis. The reality is we can fund some of it, but actually without funding, this space wouldn't have happened.’

‘We do partner with other groups as well. Quartet Community Foundation and Bristol County Council, who've helped pay for some of the costs and the heating costs. Without their help and without your (BCCF) help, it would have been difficult for the church to really create this space into such a welcoming space.’

BCCF grants help deliver targeted positive impact to critical needs across Bristol. Your donations enable local projects like this one to serve and support local people.

For more information

• visit www.redcatchcommunitychurch.co.uk/event-details/welcome-space

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