"How do we know what it's going to be like when it's already this cold?" asks Jess Leonard, head of programmes at Community360, as the charity's main hub opens its doors for a Saturday stint as a warm bank when temperatures dropped below freezing.

Need is varied and interconnected in Colchester. The charity aims to tackle this by bringing together different types of support in the city, largely in its main location in a former Poundland in the High Street. 

The complex has visits from the city and county councils, police and fire services, housing associations, financial services, help for Ukrainian refugees, support for rough sleepers and many more. Recently, it has opened as a warm space for people struggling with heating costs, as the cost of living crisis continues to make bills unaffordable for many.

While the country was experiencing 40 degree heats this summer, Community360 was already planning for winter. According to the most recent statistics, the hub has seen up to 1,400 people a month even before the cold weather started to kick in.

Volunteers and staff at Community360 told the LDRS they have heard reports of people turning off medical equipment in fear of soaring electricity bills, people being priced out of their homes by rising rents and mortgages, and warnings loan sharks could take advantage of vulnerable people looking for money to make ends meet.

"It's absolutely horrifying that in this day and age we have to provide warm spaces for people," said Clare White. "I just can't believe it's happening really, sometimes. It feels Dickensian."

Clare and Alex White.

Clare and Alex White spoke to the LDRS about their experiences volunteering at the hub. In addition to coming in every week, they were also involved in marshalling during the coronavirus vaccination drive.

Sometimes people are in need of more complicated support offered by the various charities and partners operating out of the hub, but sometimes people just need somewhere to go and someone to talk to.

Alex said: "If you're on your own, pop in and everybody will give you the time of day."

"Not everybody that comes in here is desperately hard up," added Clare

"But even if you're living in a flat and you're nice and warm, if you can't easily get out or you can't easily access other people, it can get pretty lonely. It's not just about being very cold or not having enough money."

However, the volunteers have noticed a rise in demand recently, particularly now the UK is experiencing temperatures as low as -8 degrees.

Clare said: "Particularly recently, since the weather's turned, is just the overwhelming feeling of how many people are struggling. In all sorts of different ways and for different reasons, but it can be quite emotional sometimes working in here. 

"Hearing peoples' stories, sometimes all they need to do is pour it all out to someone and that's exactly what the volunteers can do. Sometimes I just sit on the sofa with somebody and listen."

Jess Leonard spoke to the LDRS about some of the specific needs arising locally and what Community360 and its partners are doing to tackle them.

"People are now considering turning off their equipment for health related needs, so for example if they need oxygen," she said.

"For any equipment they may need, they're thinking about turning that off because of using that electricity in their homes, which is going to be really detrimental to their health. So I do think come the new year, we're going to be seeing lots more ill health."

Health has been a particular area of focus for Community360. Tuesdays are reportedly the busiest day in the hub, the day of the charity's weekly weight management programme. People gather in the hub before walking round Castle Park and then coming back for a cup of tea.

It's also a chance for people to overcome social isolation by making friends and for the charity to find out if there are any additional needs which it could address.

Jess said: "We want people to come here and to feel comfortable and for there not to be any stigma attached to that. 

"When they come here, we don't know whether they're coming to join the activities or because they're coming in because they can't afford to pay their electricity bills. But when they do come here, it gives us a chance to ask questions, get to know them, see whether there's anything else additional that we can support them with."

Jess says many warm spaces in the city, such as libraries and churches, were already open before the cost of living crisis. But since, there has been a need to make residents aware they are available.

However, Community360 is struggling to map all of the warm banks in the city, and is encouraging providers to register if their doors are open. A map of warm spaces in the city is currently available on Colchester City Council's website.

In addition to activities, in-person support and a space to visit and make friends, the hub also provides food bank vouchers, free coats and winter resilience packs for those in need.

Scott Tatum.

Scott Tatum, head of programmes said: "As soon as we put them out, they go. Really quickly. That's one of the key things we've found."

Winter resilience packs contain items which could help people keep warm, such as scarfs, gloves, hot water bottles, flasks, blankets and even tea, coffee and biscuits.

When they are issued, people are asked if they have self-referred and whether there's any other support they think they might need.

But despite the level of need in the community, Scott says the opportunity to help people has been extremely rewarding. He sees people come in for the first time, then become regulars, using the different services and joining various activities from textile groups to Zumba sessions.

He said: "Generally when you see someone come into the building and they are struggling in some way and then our team support them and guide and help them, to see them leave with a smile on their face, it's such a lovely feeling."

He later said: "Just to see their journey is really heart-warming, it's lovely to see. Those sorts of things happen daily here."