Celebrating our Warm Welcome Champions in Manchester

Our Warm Welcome Champions Day brought together leaders from 75 Champion Spaces across the UK for a day of connection, collaboration and celebration at the Co-op headquarters in Manchester.

With the city's worker bee symbolising community spirit and the power of working together, Manchester felt like the perfect place to celebrate our Champions and the incredible difference they make in their communities.

As one Champion Space said: "The work we do can seem insurmountable so it's incredible to be recognised as a Warm Welcome Space."

From faith spaces and community centres to libraries, sports clubs and baby banks, our Champion Warm Welcome Spaces create welcoming places where people can connect, find support and feel a sense of belonging. The day was an opportunity to recognise their dedication, celebrate their achievements and remind them that they're part of something bigger.

Sharing ideas, building connections

Through sessions exploring Community Leadership and Partnerships, one of the 8 building blocks of a thriving community space, our Champions explored how to build relationships with local organisations, connect with decision-makers and develop partnerships that help their communities thrive.

We heard inspiring examples of collaboration across the public, private and voluntary sectors, and welcomed Jeff Smith MP, who answered questions from Spaces and discussed why Warm Welcome Spaces are needed now more than ever.

One speaker captured the spirit of the day perfectly: "You might feel like a tiny bee sometimes, but together you're part of a much bigger ecosystem."

Together, our spaces are part of something much bigger. As our Patron, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown, has described it, they form a ‘Chain of Hope’, with every connection made, partnership formed and warm welcome offered helping to strengthen communities across the UK.

A movement to be proud of

At a time when so many people are looking for connection, support and a sense of belonging, Warm Welcome Spaces offer somewhere to come together, build relationships and feel part of their community.

Bringing our Champions together gave us the chance to celebrate the difference they make, learn from one another and explore how we can continue to support their work.

A huge thank you to our generous partner Co-op, and especially Ed Powell of Co-op's Community and Shared Value Team, for hosting us and helping make such a brilliant day possible. We're incredibly grateful for your partnership and support.

Most of all, thank you to our Champion Warm Welcome Spaces. Your commitment, creativity and care are at the heart of this movement. We left Manchester feeling proud of what you've achieved, inspired by your stories and excited about what we can accomplish together.

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