Getting ready for Warm Welcome Week at Ebe Church in Bristol

Ebenezer Church, in north Bristol, is a thriving community space with so much on offer.  There’s a weekly food bank, Tiny Tots session, a Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Group, and on Wednesdays, the space hosts a session for older members of the community. On Thursdays there’s a drop-in community café where people of all ages come together, and on Fridays there’s a community breakfast followed by a regular after-school hangout often called Fish Finger Fridays.

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When you step through the doors, you immediately feel at home. Everyone is welcomed in, and you are greeted by a colourful array of world flags, representing every country. There’s a real sense that this is a place for everyone, across different cultures, faiths, and ages.

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Celebrating Warm Welcome Week

Stewart North, who runs the Warm Welcome Space, hosted a special day to help us get ready for Warm Welcome Week 2026. In preparation, Stewart had kindly messaged all the regular guests and volunteers, asking them to dress up in their brightest colours of purple, red, pink, and orange to represent the joy, love, and friendship found in Warm Welcome Spaces right across the UK.

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"We LOVE our local communities of Horfield and Lockleaze and working in partnership with other local warm welcome spaces at Lockleaze Hub and St Marys and St James Church. We want to extend a welcome to ALL and spaces to connect with other local residents. During Warm Welcome week, alongside our regular community spaces, we are looking forward to helping run a Community Awards evening to celebrate the unsung heroes who live or volunteer in our communities." - Stewart North

The Warm Welcome team had a wonderful morning, chatting with guests and volunteers and getting involved with some colourful art. There were people of all ages, chatting together and enjoying each other’s company. From Ebe Church’s oldest guest, Joan, who is 96 years old, to tiny babies and toddlers tearing around the room and squealing with delight. The fabulous volunteer team was kept busy, turning out colourful cupcakes and delicious food. The kitchen team was working non-stop.

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Meeting Joan, Ebe’s Church’s oldest guest‍

We spent time chatting to Joan, who had so many stories. Joan loved telling us about her Bristol memories from being a newlywed, some 70-plus years ago. Joan reflected on how safe the roads were in those days and how, on one day, their first wedding anniversary, her husband suggested they go on a cycling adventure from Bristol to London. Joan had fond memories of cycling through the fields and back roads, breaking up the trip by staying in local youth hostels along the way, and getting up to all kinds of antics!

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Wendy and Linda

We loved meeting Wendy and Linda, two close friends who always come together for Ebe’s Warm Welcome Space sessions. We shared stories and so many smiles. You could see how much they love being there and look forward to coming.

Wendy is blind and relies on Linda to give her a lift and navigate around the space. Wendy told us that even though she can’t see what’s going on, she gets to feel it, hear it, taste it, and soak up the atmosphere. And of course, there is always someone to chat with. Wendy is an expert knitter. And even though she can’t see, Wendy never drops a stitch. Wendy proudly shared her latest project, making colourful knitted squares for a blanket. Wendy learned to knit as a child and has never forgotten how to do it.

Thanks, team Ebe Church

Our heartfelt thanks to Stewart North and the team of dedicated volunteers and guests for giving us such a wonderful, warm and colourful welcome. What a perfect way to start celebrating Warm Welcome Week.

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