WARM HUB – TARNSIDE COMMUNITY CENTRE

Tarnside Family Meals Warm Hub – Tuesday Night Bites

The Family Meals Warm Hub project was created by a group of local residents who saw a need for greater community support, particularly during the colder months. The group wanted to provide a safe space for families to enjoy healthy meals, participate in fun activities, and feel supported—especially during the holiday season.

This initiative, led by the community, was focused on fostering connection, strengthening bonds, and creating a sense of unity among residents. The project ran from October to December 2024, with the ultimate goal of creating a thriving, supportive environment for everyone involved.

By utilising Tarnside Community Centre, the team also hoped to encourage future use of this valuable space by residents and community groups.

Project Objectives

The key objectives of the Family Meals Warm Hub project were:

• Provide Healthy Meals: Offer freshly prepared, nutritious meals for families, particularly those in need, during the colder months.
• Create a Welcoming Environment: Build a safe and friendly space where families can come together, enjoy meals, and engage in social activities.
• Strengthen Community Bonds: Foster a sense of unity and connection within the local community through shared experiences and support.
• Christmas Support: Provide additional support to families during the festive season by distributing Christmas food parcels.
• Maximise Community Centre Use: Make better use of the Tarnside Community Centre, encouraging ongoing community involvement in the future.

Activities:

The project consisted of several key activities that took place over a series of weekly sessions:

• Weekly Meal Sessions: Fresh, healthy meals were prepared and served each week for families attending.
• Crafts and Games: Craft activities and games were organised for children and families to enjoy together. 
• Christmas Food Parcels: At the end of the project, 7 families received Christmas food parcels to help ease the financial pressures over the Christmas period. Additionally, the project supported Care and Share with donations towards hampers for the elderly in the community.
• Christmas Party and Buffet: The final session featured a special Christmas party with a hot buffet. Raffle prizes were also distributed, creating a festive atmosphere.
• Collaborations: The project worked closely with Care and Share, who provided the hobs and helped coordinate the distribution of hampers. The team also assisted in the distribution, expanding the reach of the project to other community members.
• Winter Warm Packs: Thanks to the Groundworks Green Doctors Scheme, we were able to provide 25 winter warm packs to all children attending the project. Each pack contained hats, scarves, gloves, blankets, and hot water bottles—helping families stay warm during the winter months.

Acknowledgements:

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to:

• Blackpool Council and local ward councillors for their generous funding.
• Care and Share for providing hobs, coordinating elderly hampers, and supporting the project with donations.
• Blackpool Community Housing for hosting and their continued support, waiving room hire costs and donating weekly raffle prizes, including large prizes like an air fryer for the final week’s raffle.
• Blackpool CAN for effectively managing funds and providing valuable support to the team throughout the entire project, ensuring a smooth transition from planning to delivery.
• Groundworks Green Doctors Scheme for providing winter warm packs to help families stay warm during the colder months.

And Special thanks to Jade and the Mereside Your Community Committee for their dedication and leadership in making this project a success.

Next Steps:

Mereside Your Community plan to continue to support Blackpool Community Housing (BCH) and Helen in running the Community Hubs programme at Tarnside from January to March 2025. This will provide ongoing support and engagement for local families and individuals, ensuring that the positive impact of this project continues in the community.