Volunteers deliver Christmas cheer to Shottswell community

Christmas cheer was delivered to Shotteswell residents on Sunday December 13 to celebrate the launch of the first Warm Hub event in Warwickshire.
Representatives from Warwickshire Police and team members from Cadent Gas attend the launch of the Warm Hub event at Shottswell Village HallRepresentatives from Warwickshire Police and team members from Cadent Gas attend the launch of the Warm Hub event at Shottswell Village Hall
Representatives from Warwickshire Police and team members from Cadent Gas attend the launch of the Warm Hub event at Shottswell Village Hall

Local MP Jeremy Wright served as one of the volunteers helping deliver cooked breakfasts to village residents aged from between 1 - 90, including Pauline and Tony Tarrant.

Tony said: "It was excellent food and a very nice thought, especially at this time of year - and when it's been such a difficult year for everyone."

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The Shotteswell Village Hall committee had originally planned to hold a large community breakfast on December 13, but this was rapidly switched to a permitted delivery/collection event when Warwickshire went into Tier 3, with appropriate social distancing measures in place to keep everyone safe.

MP Jeremy Wright carries a take-away breakfast from the launch of the Warm-Hub event at Shottswell Village HallMP Jeremy Wright carries a take-away breakfast from the launch of the Warm-Hub event at Shottswell Village Hall
MP Jeremy Wright carries a take-away breakfast from the launch of the Warm-Hub event at Shottswell Village Hall

Warm Hubs is a new community initiative run in partnership between local community charity, Warwickshire Rural Communities Council (WRCC), and Cadent Gas, the UK’s largest gas network, focusing on helping rural communities tackle social isolation and hardship.

The launch event was a great success, with representatives from Cadent Gas and WRCC helping to deliver many of the 126 breakfasts cooked by the village committee, with produce supplied by local farm shop Carpenters. Breakfasts were delivered to one 90-year-old along with one-year-old Amalia.

Jeremy Wright said: “Community volunteers in Shotteswell have been showing real community spirit and ingenuity in adapting the Warm Hub concept to the age of Covid-19. It was a real pleasure to see that warmth (and warm breakfasts) being distributed around the village. Thanks and congratulations to all involved.”

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Kim Slater, WRCC’s CEO, said: “Congratulations to Shotteswell’s committee, whose village hall is definitely the heart of their community. We look forward to working with them, as well as welcoming more Warm Hubs, together with Cadent, to help create closer communities throughout rural Warwickshire.”

Phil Burrows with Cadent Gas, Martha Pearson, MP Jeremy Wright, Kim Slater with Warwickshire Rural Communities Council (WRCC) all with breakfasts in front of Shotteswell Village Hall for the launch of the Warm Hub eventPhil Burrows with Cadent Gas, Martha Pearson, MP Jeremy Wright, Kim Slater with Warwickshire Rural Communities Council (WRCC) all with breakfasts in front of Shotteswell Village Hall for the launch of the Warm Hub event
Phil Burrows with Cadent Gas, Martha Pearson, MP Jeremy Wright, Kim Slater with Warwickshire Rural Communities Council (WRCC) all with breakfasts in front of Shotteswell Village Hall for the launch of the Warm Hub event

Cadent Customer Vulnerability Social Programmes Delivery Manager Phil Burrows said: “We are really excited to be working with both WRCC and Shotteswell Village Hall to launch the first Warm Hub on Cadent’s network.

"Social isolation is more prevalent than ever due to recent national lockdown and tier measures, with rural communities also feeling the impact. Whilst keeping to current Covid-19 guidelines, Cadent along with our partners were really pleased to deliver an astonishing amount of cooked Christmas breakfasts to residents across the village.

"It’s fantastic to be able to launch a project like Warm Hubs in the current challenging times, as communities needs for social interaction as well as warmth and energy advice is as strong as ever.

"We would like to thank both teams at WRCC and Shotteswell for making the event such a success and we look forward to working with them at future Warm Hub events.”

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