The project
The Government is set on a ‘decade of national renewal’. In the ‘Plan for Change’, they have set ambitions to raise living standards, provide affordable housing, reduce hospital backlogs, improve school readiness, increase police presence and accelerate the UK towards Net Zero. According to More in Common’s report, ‘Shattered Britain’, 70% of the British population believe the country is on the wrong track. Driving this dissatisfaction and also resulting from it, are stagnating levels of wellbeing across the UK. Improving wellbeing could have a significant positive impact on the cross-government ambitions in the Plan for Change.
Good Faith received grant funding from Historic England to explore how Warm Welcome Spaces located in historic church buildings can positively impact individual and community wellbeing, and to produce a guide for local churches to help them make the most of their heritage buildings from community activities.
The research found that all Warm Welcome Spaces make a positive difference to the wellbeing of individuals and the wider local community. Our research found that Warm Welcome Spaces on average contribute 1.99 WELLBYs3 (an increase of 1.99 on a 0-10 scale of Life Satisfaction for 1 person over 1 year) per person. The UK Treasury correlates this to a value of just under £26,000 per year. Our interviews showed Warm Welcome Spaces to be ‘bumping places’ where informal conversations could take place leading to an increased sense of community and belonging. Warm Welcome Spaces were also identified as access points to other wellbeing services and as good opportunities for volunteering for local people.
This research and the guide are now being used by churches and other Warm Welcome Spaces across the country to help them make the positive case for using and investing in historic buildings as living community spaces.
