Continuing our wellbeing focus and supporting people to thrive through compassion, support, and understanding, we would like to shine a light on one of our members who embody this. In a world where loneliness and isolation can affect anyone and communities are increasingly divided, “Places of Welcome” offers a simple but powerful antidote: a warm, regular, and accessible space where everyone is greeted with kindness, a hot drink, and a sense of belonging. Across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, and beyond, these community drop-ins are making a real difference—one cup of tea and one conversation at a time.
What are Places of Welcome?
Places of Welcome is a national network, now with over 900 groups across the UK, and nearly 220 in Staffordshire and the Black Country alone. Locally, the initiative is funded by the Diocese of Lichfield as part of their Strengthening Communities programme. Each Place of Welcome is facilitated by dedicated coordinators whose roles are entirely focused on supporting these spaces. The network covers a vast area, including Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Northern Shropshire, and the Black Country, with each coordinator bringing unique experience and passion to the role.
The premise is simple: weekly, free, accessible gatherings in the same place at the same time, offering a regularity that’s vital for people with chaotic lifestyles, fluctuating health, or simply those seeking a reliable community anchor. As Lesley Bovington, the Places of Welcome facilitator for Strengthening Communities, shares, “That regularity’s really important. For a lot of our participants, having that consistency and knowing the space is there at the same time and place each week helps provide a routine and stability that a lot of them need.”
The Ethos: Hospitality, Inclusion, and Empowerment
Every Place of Welcome must meet a set of core values: being free, hospitable, welcoming of all, and providing at least a hot drink and a biscuit. But it’s about much more than refreshments—the real magic lies in the ethos of participation. These are not places where things are done to people, but where everyone is invited to be present, to connect, and to celebrate their own skills and interests. “They’re about being part of something, making connections, and celebrating everybody’s skills,” Lesley explains, highlighting how the organisation is all about enabling people to thrive and become independent.
The whole premise is to remove barriers, ensuring that Places of Welcome are accessible and welcoming to everyone from all corners of the community. There’s no fee to join, no pressure to commit, and no barriers to entry—making these groups ideal for those struggling with isolation, mental health, or simply the challenge of stepping outside their front door.
Diversity of Spaces: From Churches to Community Gardens
While about a third of Places of Welcome are hosted in churches, the network embraces diversity—community gardens, theatres, football clubs, bus stations, and more. This variety ensures that everyone can find a space that feels comfortable, whether inside a building or out in the open air. Carrie Blount, the Strengthening Communities Enabler, explains, “Some people don’t feel ready to be inside a building, but they do feel ready to be alongside someone in an open space.” This diversity ensures that everyone can find a space where they feel comfortable and can contribute and develop at their own pace.
Activities vary from place to place, shaped by the interests and needs of the local community. Some groups focus on crafts or gardening, others on conversation or games. The key is flexibility: “All we ask that each group has a quiet corner if at all possible, and someone who’s particularly looking out for newcomers, helping them settle in,” Lesley explains.
The Lichfield Garrick stands out as a truly unique Place of Welcome, being the very first theatre in the UK to join the national network. Every Friday morning, the Garrick’s Café Bar opens its doors to everyone. Its welcoming atmosphere, regular sessions, and commitment to inclusion make it a standout example of how the Places of Welcome model can be adapted to different types of venues, broadening the reach and impact of the initiative. They even allow Guide Dog Puppy Trainers to attend the sessions regularly, creating a buzz of mutual excitement and appreciation as the beautiful puppies become a focal point for everyone as they enter.
Kindness in Motion: The Volunteer Spirit of Places of Welcome
Volunteers are a vital part of making Places of Welcome successful. These community spaces are not just about offering a cup of tea or a friendly face—they rely on the dedication, compassion, and local knowledge of volunteers to create truly welcoming environments where everyone can belong and thrive. Volunteers are not just hosts or providers of refreshments; they are connectors—helping guests navigate local resources, offering a listening ear, and ensuring that everyone who walks through the door feels seen and supported. Their presence transforms a simple drop-in into a hub of hospitality, practical help, and community connection.
Lesley and Carrie tell us, “People who start coming along initially just to visit and enjoy a Place of Welcome may sometimes become volunteers. We have to have volunteers who have their fingers on the pulse of important local basic information to be able to signpost to other services.” Volunteers often thrive themselves by sharing their skills and knowledge to support others.
Changing Lives, One Welcome at a Time
Places of Welcome have a profound and lasting impact on both individuals and the wider community. At the individual level, they provide a sense of belonging, purpose, and connection. As previously mentioned, Carrie and Lesley share stories of people who began attending as visitors, often after experiencing loneliness or bereavement, and gradually became volunteers themselves. This journey from isolation to involvement helps individuals “find their tribe again,” rebuild confidence, and rediscover their value within the community, helping them to thrive again.
I had the privilege of seeing first hand the real impact of Places of Welcome. As I arrived to meet Carrie and Lesley, I experienced this feeling of connection for myself, when I was greeted by a gentleman, who I later discovered was regular attender, inviting me to have a cup of tea or coffee. He then opened up about his neurodivergence and how he liked to come to Places of Welcome every week as he could talk to people but also have his own space to read his book. It was clear he saw it as a safe space where he was allowed to be himself but also push himself to try new things and talk to new people. I can only imagine how having this space will positively impact his life in the present and future.
On a community level, Places of Welcome foster social cohesion and mutual support. They are described as “hubs of hospitality, practical help, and community connection,” where everyone is invited to contribute their skills and interests. As we’ve already mentioned, the ethos is not about doing things for people but doing things with them—celebrating everyone’s abilities and encouraging active participation. These spaces also serve as vital signposting points, connecting people to other local services and resources when needed.
Stronger Together: How Partnership Fuels Places of Welcome
Support Staffordshire is proud to have played a role in nurturing and supporting Places of Welcome across the region. Our involvement goes beyond simple coordination—we act as a bridge, a champion, and a source of practical support for local groups striving to create inclusive, welcoming spaces.
Support Staffordshire’s Locality Officers are instrumental in sharing information about local groups, ensuring that knowledge about Places of Welcome reaches those who need it most. “The Locality Officers take the information about our local groups and share that information around to people and organisations that might want to attend or support our groups,” Lesley notes. Carrie also discusses the impact of the Locality Forums. “Your locality forums have been fantastic for us to share information on our organisation and network with people who we can signpost to.” Carrie and Lesley really appreciate the relationships they have with all our locality officers, who has been particularly supportive in helping them foster those connections. Lesley was also keen to acknowledge how supportive the Community Development Officers, have been. “The knowledge they have of the local communities and groups within them has been invaluable as we can then share this information with our groups and direct them to support they may need.” This highlights the importance of our partnership in connecting people to community resources.
Support Staffordshire’s impact is also felt through the sharing of information on platforms like Basecamp and networks such as the Healthy Communities Alliance. Both play a significant role in supporting Places of Welcome by facilitating the sharing of information and resources. Lesley and Carrie both say they love the Healthy Communities Alliance Basecamp platform and how it is used to quickly access and share updates and opportunities: “I have a folder for it, and I’ll scroll through the posts and find relevant things to save,” Lesley informs us. “The headlines are so good that you can quickly see if it’s something that would benefit the network or not.” This ease of access helps coordinators and volunteers stay informed about relevant events, training, and consultations, ensuring that important information reaches those who need it most.
In a broader sense, the Healthy Communities Alliance is more than just a network—it weaves together groups and services, making sure Places of Welcome is well connected with its local communities. Through this spirit of collaboration, individual groups grow stronger, and a true sense of community blossoms across the region. These partnerships are about more than sharing resources; they’re about sharing hope, encouragement, and the belief that together, we can create spaces where everyone feels they belong. By leaning on these alliances, Places of Welcome can listen more closely to local needs, learn from one another, and lift each other up—ensuring that kindness and inclusion reach every corner of our communities.
In addition to this, they have also been able to access our training and outreach support services, such as our Learning Disabilities and Autism Team. This sharing of good practice has helped the team make the spaces more inclusive and helped them in training volunteers to make sure they can make adjustments to support those individuals who need it.
Crucially, Support Staffordshire also understands the barriers that can prevent people from accessing community spaces. Our Volunteer Buddy scheme, for example, helps newcomers settle in and feel comfortable. Lesley recognises, “If you’re struggling to go outside your front door, then it’s still got to feel like a really big step for you to attend a group no matter how welcoming it is. This is where the Volunteer Buddy Services really come to life and make a real difference.” This practical, person-centred approach ensures that Places of Welcome are accessible to all, regardless of circumstance.
The relationship is reciprocal and deeply valued. Places of Welcome coordinators describe Support Staffordshire as a source of encouragement and reassurance: “Being Members of Support Staffordshire helps you feel like you’ve got somebody on your side; that somebody’s got your back. It feels like a friendship based on mutual respect and support.” This sense of partnership helps groups weather challenges and celebrate successes, fostering a culture of mutual support and shared purpose.
Support Staffordshire’s ongoing commitment—through information sharing, funding support, practical initiatives, and genuine partnership—has been fundamental to the growth and resilience of Places of Welcome. Our work exemplifies how local infrastructure organisations can empower local groups to make a lasting difference in its communities.
Looking Forward: A Vision for Thriving Communities
As the campaign for kindness and thriving continues, Places of Welcome stands as a model for community-led change. By blending hospitality, participation, and practical support, these groups are lighting the way for a more connected, resilient Staffordshire.
As Lesley sums it up, “It’s not just about saving lives—it’s about helping people to thrive, to be themselves, and to give back in whatever way works for them.”
Having Lesley and Carrie, who are shining stars for the organisation and light the way for others to create their own safe spaces and Places of Welcome, also helps make the initiative successful. Their own kindness, enthusiasm, and compassion for their communities and the individuals within them, are pivotal in Places of Welcome being as successful and impactful as it is across Staffordshire and the other areas covered by the Diocese of Lichfield. Lesley will soon be moving on from her post, but Carrie and the rest of the team will continue the legacy of the hard work she has contributed and ensure that their Places of Welcome continue to help everyone involved in them thrive.
For more information about how you could become a Place of Welcome or take part at an existing location please see the following websites.
www.placesofwelcome.org.uk (national website)
Places of Welcome – Diocese of Lichfield – (local website)