We are thrilled to see that new Warm Spaces are popping up across the county this winter (2022-23). We know that what is on offer can very much depend on which of Berkshire’s six Unitary Authorities you reside in. We pulled together what is currently out there so you can check out your local warm space depending on where in the county you find yourself.

What is a Warm Space?

Warm Spaces are places where people can gather for free in a warm, safe, welcoming place and maybe enjoy a hot drink and some company.

Reading Borough

Reading Museum
Reading Museum, in Reading Town Hall, is free to visit and currently has an abstract art exhibition alongside the regular displays in the other galleries.
Open 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am to 5pm on Saturday.

Libraries
There are seven libraries throughout Reading, open for free book lending with no late fees, free computers, free wifi, and free study spaces – as well as free rhymetimes for preschool children.

Central, Southcote and Tilehurst all have free on-site tablet lending.

Your free library card allows access to thousands of free ebooks, eaudio and emagazines. We have purchased a range of physical and e-titles to help with cost of living issues.

East Reading
LifeSpring Church, Café 12, Tuesday to Friday 10am to 2pm, Thursday lunch for the over 60’s. The Pavilion, 143-145 Oxford Road Reading RG1 7UY

Family Warm Hub, Monday to Friday 3.15pm-6pm, term time only. A light meal will be provided. Families need to register in advance.

Tel: 0118 983 9080

For more information contact warmhub@lifespringchurch.org.uk

Greyfriars Church Monday 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am-4pm and Sundays 9am-12pm and 5:30pm-8:30pm.

They also have various events running throughout the week.

Friar Street, Reading RG1 1EH
Tel: 0118 951 6700

Wycliffe Baptist Church Community Cafe Tuesday 9:30am to 3pm and Wednesday 4:30pm to 9pm. Warm and welcoming space. Normally £1.50 for a drink but have a pay-it-forward system for those that can’t afford it.

233 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS
Tel: 0118 929 9911

Weller Centre Monday to Friday 9:30am to 12pm. Use Wi-Fi, catch up on the news, make new friends and maybe grab a hot drink starting at 20p (pay if you can).

110 Amersham Road, Reading, Reading, RG4 5NA
Tel: 0118 947 5828

West Reading
Norcot Mission Church, Oasis Cafe, Fridays 10:00am to 3pm, Warm and friendly with light refreshments. Brockley Close, RG30 4YP
Email: info@norcot.org

Salvation Army, Tuesday 10:00 to 13:30, Coffee morning/lunch club. Wednesday 1:30pm to 3pm, Cameo/chatter craft.

522 Oxford Road, RG30 1EG
Tel: 0118 957 5394

St Catherine’s Church, Tuesday get together 10am to 12pm, coffee and chat, free, all welcome.

St Catherine of Siena Church, Wittenham Avenue, Tilehurst, RG31 5LN
Tel: 0118 942 7786

St George’s & St Mary Magdalen’s
St George’s Tilehurst, St George’s Road, Reading RG30 2RG, Fridays from 12pm to 4pm.
St Mary Magdalen’s Tilehurst, Kentwood Hill, Reading RG31 6DR, Wednesdays from 10.30 to 11.30am.
Tel: 07753 411989

St Matthew’s Church, 12:30pm to 3:00pm Fridays. Soup and bread in a warm space.

205 Southcote Lane, Southcote, RG30 3AX
Tel: 0118 954 7964

St Michael’s Church, The Morlais Room, from 12pm to 5pm Thursdays. Soup and bread, hot drinks and biscuits will be available, there will also be board games to play for anyone who fancies a bit of fun. No charge, but donations appreciated. All welcome.

New Lane Hill, Tilehurst, RG30 4JX
Tel: 0118 942 7331

All Nations Christian Centre, Warm Welcome, Tuesdays 10:30am to 3pm. A warm welcome space that is free, welcoming, and safe for our local community.

1 Berkeley Ave Reading RG1 6JE
Tel: 0118 950 5661

Whitley CDA – Wednesdays 12pm to 2:30pm. Winter Warming Wednesday
Over 50s (open to all), unlimited tea and coffee £1, free soup, board games and chat.

Whitley Community Café 252 Northumberland Avenue, Reading RG2 7QA
Tel: 0118 374 0052

West Berkshire

Take a look at this article from the Penny Post which lists all known warm spaces in West Berkshire at the time of publication: https://pennypost.org.uk/2022/11/local-warm-spaces-for-winter-2022-21/

St George’s Welcome Café –
Monday, Wednesday from 8.45am – 12noon

St George’s Church has opened a Welcome Café, Welcome Cafe is a warm hub where everyone is welcome to drop by for fresh coffee or tea and biscuits, a chat, or to use the WiFi. Everything is complimentary.

The café is initially running on Monday and Wednesday mornings, from 8.45am – 12noon and from 3rd Feb will be also open on Fridays, same time and is meeting in the church building, on the hall side. All are assured of a warm welcome.

Burghfield Warm Spaces

Wokingham Borough

Earley and Lower Earley

Monday – Salvation Army, Chalfont Close (RG6 5UG), 10am to 12 noon – tea, coffee, biscuits, games and chats
Monday – St Nicholas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue (RG6 7JN), 2.15pm to 3.30pm
Tuesday – St Nicholas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue (RG6 7JN), 10am to 12 noon
Tuesday – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close (RG6 5HZ), 1pm to 4pm and 4pm to 6pm
Wednesday – Lower Earley Baptist Church, Maiden Place (RG6 3HE), 11.30am to 1.30pm – hot drinks, chance to chat, games and more
Wednesday – Brookside over 60s club, Brookside Close (RG6 7HG), 2pm to 4pm
Thursday – Salvation Army, Chalfont Close (RG6 5UG), 10am to noon
Thursday – St Nicholas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue (RG6 7JN), 2pm to 4pm
Thursday – Trinity Refresh Café, Chalfont Close (RG6 5HZ), 2pm to 4pm – wellbeing café
Thursday – Brookside Youth, Brookside Close (RG6 7HG), 7pm to 9pm
Friday – St Nicholas Wellbeing Café (RG6 7JN), 10am to 12 noon – wellbeing café
Friday – Brookside Church, Brookside Close (RG6 7HG), 3.30pm to 6pm
Saturdays – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close (RG6 5HZ), 10am to 12 noon (second and fourth Saturdays of the month only)

Shinfield
All weekdays – School Green Centre Warm Hub, Shinfield School Green Centre (RG2 9EH), 10am to 4pm – TV, games and free hot drinks
Fridays – St Mary’s Church Hall, Church Lane (RG2 9BY), 12 noon to 4pm – free soup and a roll

Spencers Wood
Wednesday – St Michael’s Café at St Michael and All Angels Church, Basingstoke Road (RG7 1AP), 10am to 2pm – free soup and bread roll (other options on offer with fee)

Twyford
Tuesday – Twyford and District Youth and Community Centre, Loddon Hall Road (RG10 9JA), 12noon to 2pm – free hot drinks and free soup and roll, as well as the opportunity to join in with some games (from 13 December to 28 March)

Wokingham
Monday, Wednesday and Friday – Wokingham Salvation Army, Sturges Road (RG40 2HD), 10am to 1.30pm – free food and drinks, internet access, charging points, a shower room and a warm place to be
Monday – Café Mosaic at Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street (RG40 1XS), 10.30am to 1.30pm – hot drinks, soup, biscuits and charging points available (until 27 February)
Tuesday – The Cornerstone at All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue (RG40 1UE), 3.30pm to 5pm – for families after school drop in (term time only)
Wednesday – Kings Church, Station Road (RG40 2AD), 11am to 3pm, – The Well on Wednesday – hot soup meal and place to be
Thursday – Wokingham Baptist Church, Milton Road (RG40 1DE), 4.30pm to 7.30pm – hot meal, activities for children, homework, teas and coffees (excluding 29 December)
Friday – St Paul’s Parish Room, Reading Road (RG41 1EH), 2pm to 4pm – hot drinks, games and cake

Leisure centres
Our leisure centres are open to the public as places to go to be warm this winter.

Loddon Valley Leisure Centre café, Earley (RG6 4GD) – open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3.30pm
Bulmershe Leisure Centre café, Woodley (RG5 3EU) – open Monday to Friday, 10am to 11am
St Crispin’s Leisure Centre function room, Wokingham (RG40 1SR) – open 10am to 2pm on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, open 6.30pm to 10pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Libraries
All our libraries are places you can go to stay warm during their current opening hours. You can visit one near you now:

Arborfield Library
Finchampstead Library
Lower Earley Library
Spencers Wood Library
Twyford Library
Wargrave Library
Winnersh Library
Wokingham Library
Woodley Library

Bracknell Forest Winter Hubs:

For an up-to-date list of Bracknell Forest Winter Hubs please click here: https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/cost-living-support/community-winter-hubs

Slough Borough

Slough: The list of current Warm Spaces, operating now or soon to be, is below.

• Slough Baptist Church, Windsor Road: Mondays 3-5pm starting on 9 January and Wednesdays 11am-2pm starting on 4 January
• Slough Community Support Café, St John’s Church, Stoke Poges Lane, Tuesdays 5-9pm
• Slough Community Support Café, St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Merton Road, Thursdays 3.30-8pm
• Cippenham Carers Group, Cippenham Baptist Church, Elmshott Lane, Third Wednesday of the month from 1-3pm
• Ujala Foundation, Manor Park Pavillion, Villiers Road, Tuesdays 10am-2pm and Thursdays 12noon-2pm.
• Home Slough is offering a warm space during their WOW Slough winter programme. All events will be held at The Curve. For dates and times visit HOME Slough – Creative arts in your community
• The Salvation Army Slough, Stoke Road. Offering a warm space and refreshments at a coffee morning on Wednesday mornings 10am – 12noon. Offering a warm space, refreshments, food, clothing and showers at their drop-in on Friday mornings 10am-12noon.

Royal Borough: Safe, warm spaces map
Over the winter, a number of community organisations are opening up warm, safe spaces and running coffee mornings and other activities for residents.
Click link to find out where these are: https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/warm-safe-spaces-map