TOWN groups are working together to ensure they can offer help to people struggling with the cost of living crisis.

A meeting well be held next Tuesday in Cockermouth Town Hall, in the hope that local groups can plan together for winter and support vulnerable residents.

The town council has invited various groups, including Churches Together in the Cockermouth (CTiCA), which already runs community cafes.

Cllr Richard Watson raised the issue at a recent town council meeting.

"I would like to propose that we consider the use of public spaces as places where people unable to heat their homes are able to come for periods during the day and perhaps access food and welfare advice at the same time.

"I think we should be working with Churches Together as some of their properties might lend themselves.

"I think we should also involve Cerg (Cockermouth Emergency Response Group) as this winter is likely to see a public health crisis on the scale of the floods or the pandemic, and possibly the Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) and foodbanks.

"We could call a meeting to discuss what can be put in place.

"I think it would be good if the town took the lead and facilitated this."

Cllr Grace Bennion said: "CTiCA is already talking about this. I think it's a good idea that we get involved as a town council.

"We should find out what people are already planning and then support them."

Cllr Alan Smith said: "I don't know how far this country is going to go down. We are the fifth biggest economy in the world and we have this happening.

"It's people at the bottom that are suffering.

"As a town council we need to take the lead on this.

"We need to be prepared as a town to help our people.

"If we get together like we did in the floods we can work together."

Cllr David Malloy said: "Churches may be open but there is still electricity to pay for. We need to find out what funding is available as a town council."

Councillors agreed it was a good idea to see what funding was available.

A meeting, to be chaired by Mayor Andrew Semple, has since be arranged for next Tuesday.

"I have invited town councillors and representatives from our foodbank, Christian centre, Citizen's Advice Bureau, King's Church, CERG and Age Concern," said council clerk Sheila Brown.

"We hope to to find out what all these organisations are doing to assist our most vulnerable with the cost of living crisis and see what we can do to help."

Paul Mogford, of King's Church, said: "King's has been working on warm spaces.

"It will good to get together at the meeting and sort out who does what - rather than all trying to do the same thing at the same time.

"King's will build on what we’re already doing to offer warm spaces."

King's Church (kingscc.org)and Linking Lives (linkinglives.uk/project/cockermouth) already run community cafes.

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