Crossroads Community Hub, based in Newton near Chester, offers a Meeting Place Café where people can enjoy free tea, coffee and sweet treats and meet friendly faces.
Working with West Cheshire Foodbank, the Hub also provides food parcels for those who need them in the local community.
As part of the Welcome Churches Network, Crossroads links in with partners to welcome refugees and asylum seekers to the local community and help them access the support available.
Abi, Project Manager at Crossroads Community Hub, said: “We typically support around 50 to 55 people each week.
“We see people from the local community as they enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with us and, if they need to access emergency food support, that’s available for them too.
“The highlights of the things we do here are seeing people connect with others and seeing people who are experiencing social isolation.
“There can sometimes be barriers for people when going into other settings, but I think they feel comfortable coming here as we’re a bit more chilled out.”
Since first launching the project during the COVID-19 pandemic, CWVA’s support to Crossroads Community Hub has been invaluable, helping with funding, training, linking to other community organisations and more general support to run the initiative as effectively as possible.
Andy, Director of Crossroads Community Hub, added: “I can’t fault the support of CWVA and the Welcome Network project as it’s been great.
“I have a lovely little phrase that I try to work to, which is partnership without ownership.
“There’s that sense we’re doing things for the greater good so we can all work together and we’ve really seen that here at the Hub.”
In the last year, CWVA has provided Crossroads Community Hub with a significant amount of development support, highlighting the key role CWVA plays in the community sector.
Any community sector organisations can access the wide range of support CWVA has to offer, whether it’s training, governance advice, support with volunteering, funding opportunities and much more.
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