A no-questions safe place
Date Posted: Nov 03, 2025.
Helen, who runs the Place of Welcome hosted by Wealdstone Methodist Church in north-west London.“It’s like a second home here, some people come every week"
The Place of Welcome hosted by Wealdstone Methodist Church in north-west London is run as a weekly coffee morning in the church hall and is attended by a mix of regulars and newcomers. The weekly session is also a great place for sharing local information, especially for guests who lack internet access at home.
The volunteers are ready to welcome them with a hot drink and warm smile, and know the regulars so well they set up tables with their favourite puzzles and boardgames waiting for them at their preferred spot.
When one of the guests suffered a bereavement, the Place of Welcome provided them with something positive to focus on and a regular date to occupy their time.
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Its volunteers see its purpose as even simpler than that. Their motivation was to create an accessible and inclusive environment where people could chat over food.
Now, the popularity of the drop-ins has provided volunteers with a reason to go further, regularly offering hot soups and a no-questions safe place for people needing a meal.
One guest said: “I can socialise here. I suffer from anxiety and worry sometimes and coming here takes my mind off things.”