Warm hubs and fuel grants offered to people in Guernsey

Several schemes are helping islanders in Guernsey stay warm during the cold weather.

Age Concern is providing one-off grants of £205 to help more than 100 people with their heating bills.

Chairman David Inglis said the grant was available until the end of April.

St Andrews Scottish Church is providing a warm space each Wednesday and Thursday for islanders, alongside the Salvation Army on a Monday and Tuesday.

Mr Inglis said: “There clearly is a need to help and support members in our communities… who struggle with the cold and the cost of fuel.

“What we do every year is we invite people who have the application approved last year to join this year because the problem doesn’t go away, so it’s a question of maintaining a lifestyle that is a lot easier for our older people.”

Age Concern said: “We look at every case individually and make a decision as quickly as we can.”

Reverend Justin Taylor, from St Andrews Scottish Church, said: “We realised there was a need in our community to offer a space where people who are less fortunate than us can have a heat hub, a space to keep warm, because it is a difficult thing, trying to keep warm in the cold.

“It’s a mental health issue, it’s a health issue as a whole and just by offering the resources, we’re very lucky that we have the resources and the space.

“There’s no shame in coming in and spending time,” Mr Taylor said.