Belfast churches keeping communities warm with 'cosy hub' initiative as temperatures plunge

Churches on Belfast’s Ormeau Road have been working together to keep their community warm as temperatures plunge.

From Monday to Friday, at least one church on the road will open its doors to ensure those in need have somewhere warm to sit.

“Cosy Hub” has been running since November and church leaders say they’ll continue the programme into February 2023.

Rev. John Alderdice from Ballynafeigh Methodist Church told UTV: “It’s sad that we have this need but it’s really important. The upside of it is we’ve seen a lot of community cohesion and people getting to know each other and relationships develop and folk being able to find help and advice when they need it.”

The cold snap has prompted a 24-hour gritting operation across Northern Ireland, with hundreds of gritters operating through the night, covering 7,000 kilometers of road.

It comes after cold weather payments were extended to 12 more areas in the Aldergrove weather station area as the average temperature is, or is forecast to be, zero degrees or below for seven consecutive days.

Gritters have been out in force across the country

Glenn Savoury, Department for Infrastructure, told UTV: “Our duty controllers are on call 24 hours a day, who will be in regular contact with the specialist forecasting unit and they’re able to advise us in terms of what areas need treated and how to treat them best.”

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