King Charles offers helping hand by opening Highgrove House to the public as 'warm space'
During his first-ever Christmas speech in December, King Charles III highlighted the nation's current cost of living crisis.
By LAUREN WELCH
King Charles is taking this a step further by opening up the doors to Highgrove House, his family residence in Gloucestershire, to offer a "warm space" for members of the public. The kind gesture is to help the public through the continued cost of living crisis and to offer a place to combat loneliness - something that is especially high during the winter months.
The initiative, which is led by the King's charity the Prince's Foundation, has seen hundreds of people from the local community enjoying free drinks and soup.
As part of the Winter's Warmers project, people are also able to practice sociable activities such as board games and crafts in the Orchard Room.
Pictures from recent events show members of the local community tucking into warm meals as they chat and make crafts such as wool pompoms.
The initiative is running between January and March by the foundation, which was established by the King in 1986 to provide holistic solutions to challenges facing the world today.
Highgrove House is the family residence of King Charles III and Camilla (Image: PA)
The scheme, which is open weekly, provides a safe place for local people to gather and socialise. It is aimed at helping to reduce the effects of social isolation, as well as keeping in line with the charity's mission to build communities.
It also offers a warm haven for people affected by the cost of living and who may not be able to heat their own homes.
The Orchard Room, is usually open to visitors after Garden Tours and is set within the gardens of Highgrove House.
The scheme has proved so popular that the free tickets have already sold out for all sessions.
Speaking about Highgrove House, Emily Cherrington, the executive director of The Prince’s Foundation, said: "Since establishing The Prince’s Foundation’s integrated health and wellbeing programme in May 2016, we have run many initiatives to help strengthen communities.
"At a particularly hard time for many, we felt we had the capacity in the quieter winter months to utilise our spaces to benefit those in the surrounding communities, many of whom perhaps cannot afford to heat their homes or whom may not have the opportunity for social interaction.
“We hope that by offering a space for people at these three communities across the UK to meet for a cup of tea and some enjoyable activities, we can play a small part in ensuring our guests benefit from some warmth and friendship each week."
https://www.express.co.uk...ace-cost-of-living-latestAlso
The King has opened the doors to Castle of Mey and Dumfries House in Scotland, and Highgrove, Glos., to be 'warm spaces' for local people faced with cost-of-living crisis and loneliness.
