Venues and activities announced for Winter Connections programme

Renfrewshire Council has announced the first community groups and venues that will take part in its Winter Connections programme.

The programme will create a network of local places and spaces that offer free events and activities hosted by local community and voluntary organisations where people can come together and connect this winter. They are open to everyone and guarantee a warm welcome.

Fifteen groups have received funding so far from our Winter Connections Fund, which supports the programme by providing grants of up to £2,000 to local community and voluntary organisations to host their own Winter Connections events.

The activities which will be available as part of the programme are:

• An afterschool social club for families with Active Communities at Station 7
• An intergenerational music café in Paisley with Brick Lane Music Academy
• A music club for adults at Erskine Arts
• Winter Warmers parents support group with Home-Start Renfrewshire & Inverclyde
• An over 60s peer support drop-in in Linwood with Kickin’ On
• Conversation café and other activities at Langbank Village Centre
• Knit and natter sessions at Lochwinnoch Library and crafting sessions at the Workspace in Lochwinnoch with Lochwinnoch Community Development Trust
• An Eat Share Care Café with Our Place Our Families in Renfrew
• A range of activities focusing on digital IT skills, low-cost cooking, sewing, knitting and art with Learning Together Glenburn at Paisley St George’s Outreach Centre
• Winter Wellbeing Hubs and Soup Group for adults dealing with mental health and wellbeing issues with RAMH in Paisley and Renfrew
• Free additional toddler, Bookbug and lunch sessions in Johnstone Castle with Renfrewshire Rainbow Buddies
• Open Mic and Make Projects for young people with Renfrewshire Remode in Paisley
• Coffee and Catch-up sessions where people can learn IT skills with Renfrew YMCA in Renfrew
• Jam Jar Movies with ROAR in Johnstone where people can come together and watch a film
• Games and craft sessions with STAR Project at Shortroods, Paisley

Street Stuff will also extend its programme during the festive period as part of Winter Connections, while Future Paisley will host four-weeks of free, creative activities in Paisley town centre.

Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, Depute Leader of Renfrewshire Council, said: “Winter can be a very difficult and lonely time for people and the cost-of-living crisis will make that worse this year.

“This programme will help people come together and support each other while learning new skills and making connections this winter.

“It will be a lifeline for people in our communities and I want to thank the community and voluntary groups who are working with us to make it happen.

“Our community and voluntary organisations played a vital role in supporting our communities during the pandemic and they are doing the same during the cost of living crisis.”

The Council is working with community and voluntary groups to introduce new venues and activities to the programme each week during the winter.

Councillors will discuss plans to provide an additional £20,000 to support Winter Connections and extend its work into January and February 2023 at a meeting of the Leadership Board on Wednesday 30 November.

Proposals to provide OneRen with £10,000 funding to deliver Winter Connections activities at Renfrewshire libraries will also be discussed at the meeting.

Venues taking part in the programme will display our Winter Connections logo.

For the latest information on all the activities, groups and venues taking part in Winter Connections, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/winter-connections