---
title: Open whatever the weather
date: 2025-11-03T00:00:00+00:00
author: Laura Morton
canonical_url: "https://cuf.org.uk/about-us/news/open-whatever-the-weather"
section: News
---
---

 

  

# Open whatever the weather

A priest in Stoke-on-Trent has opened up his church hall as a ​“cool space”, having used it as a so-called warm bank during the colder months.

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- Story
- 03 Nov 2025
 
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Fr John Stather of Christ Church Tunstall told BBC Radio 5 Live that after serving soup and hot drinks to people during the winter at their Place of Welcome, volunteers were switching to offering them ice creams.

“We’re going to be giving people cold drinks and ice creams and helping \[people\] cool down,” he said. He said some initiatives set up to help bring people together and stay warm during the winter months had finished.

 

 

 

      ![A group of 10 people enjoying a meal together at a table laid with food](https://cuf.org.uk/assets/images/_356x356_crop_center-center_82_none/PoW-Cool-Space-CC-Tunstall-Stoke-on-Trent-have-permission.png?v=1787051024)  

“Just because it’s warm weather doesn’t mean that inflation’s suddenly dropped … lots of those people who were struggling in the winter are still struggling in the summer.”

Fr John Stather

 

 

 

 

He joked that church buildings were often criticised for being cold, but when temperatures rise, a cool stone church is ​“a great place to chill out, physically and spiritually”.

In a separate interview he [told the BBC ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-65846636)that the warm space attracted around 12 people a week.

“It seems ridiculous to say, ​‘Well, it’s got a bit warmer so we’ll stop meeting,’” Fr Stather said.

 

 

          ![](https://cuf.org.uk/assets/images/_895x503_crop_center-center_82_none/signage.png?v=1785935184)  

## Could you open your venue to neighbours all year round?

 [ Explore Places of Welcome ](https://cuf.org.uk/take-action/places-of-welcome)