Cool space: Warm welcome
A practical toolkit to help churches respond to extreme heat by creating Cool Spaces that offer a place of welcome, hospitality and connection
WHEN THE TEMPERATURE RISES, our churches can offer something simple but powerful: a cool place to be.
Across the country, churches are opening their doors during heatwaves, providing spaces that create refreshing opportunities for connection and mission.
This toolkit will help you explore how your church can become a Cool Space, shaped around your building, your community and the resources available to you.
Some churches are naturally well suited to soaring temperatures, but every church can consider how its space might offer welcome and hospitality during hot periods.
Inside, you’ll find budget-friendly ideas for adapting your space, planning ahead and hosting visitors safely.
Why not start planning now, so your church is ready to open its doors when the next heatwave arrives? Download the practical toolkit below:
Our special thanks to Hannah Ling, the Social Justice Adviser at the Diocese of Oxford, for creating and sharing this toolkit.
Register as a Cool Space with the Warm Welcome Campaign
Interested in joining a community of churches helping one another create welcoming spaces for people during hot weather and beyond?
The Warm Welcome Campaign is a national network of community spaces helping people feel safe, connected and supported in their local community.
The more churches that join the network, the more people can easily find somewhere welcoming to keep cool – or warm, later in the year. It’s free to register here, takes just a minute, and is open to any space that is welcoming, inclusive, safe, and free for guests.
Why join?
Reach more people
- Be featured on the national Warm Welcome map so people can find your Space (don’t forget to tick the Cool Space icon!).
Access free support
- Practical resources, training, and guidance.
Unlock new opportunities
- Hear about funding, partnerships, corporate support, and other opportunities that could benefit your Space.
Join a national network
- Connect with over 6,000 community Spaces to share ideas, learning, and good practice.
Raise your profile
- Shared branding, Welcome Week, the Champions Programme, and the Warm Welcome Awards.
Make an even bigger difference
- Help more people feel connected, supported, and part of their community.
