On Wednesday 17 April we celebrated the impact of the Warm Welcome Campaign at a special service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. We were delighted that so many partners, supporters, volunteers and guests to our Warm Welcome Spaces were able to join us, while others were represented in images of their Warm Welcome Spaces.

We were thankful to hear from Warm Space visitor Shafraz who shared his story. Thanks are due to all our guest speakers at the St. Paul’s Evensong Celebration. Isobel Hunter MBE, CEO for Libraries Connected, delivered the second lesson. Thanks to our prayer leaders: Kids Matter CEO Eli Gardner, Marla Midence from St Martin’s, Plaistow, John Struthers from Holy Trinity, Leytonstone, Esther Platt from the Warm Welcome Campaign and Martin Dickson from the Good Faith Foundation. The sermon was delivered by Jude Levermore, Head of Mission, Methodist Church in Great Britain.

Shafraz shared his powerful testimony at St. Paul’s. Shafraz and his family arrived in the UK from Sri Lanka two years ago and lived in a hotel in Walthamstow. He was introduced to Warm Welcome Spaces in Waltham Forest by local organisations, and these spaces have provided valuable places for homework, events, cooking and community.

You can read Shafraz’s story here.

We were able to share the impact the Warm Welcome Campaign has had over the past two winters with our guests at St. Paul’s and heard from Averil Pooten-Watan, a churchwarden at St Barnabus and St James the Greater in East London. You can read Averil’s story here.

Finally, our huge thanks go to the team at St. Paul’s for allowing us to celebrate the Warm Welcome Campaign at an Evensong service.