Coming in from the cold

Our local theatre/cinema is one of the community venues across Wales, and other UK regions, to sign up to a scheme for providing warm spaces as a way to relieve fuel poverty. The huge hike in gas and electricity bills means that for many home heating has to be turned down, or off, but existing venues that have to be heated anyway are being subsidised to open their doors to all comers without any obligation to spend money. Libraries, community and leisure centres, places of worship, schools etc. all over Wales  have set themselves up to become 'warm hubs'  where people can meet, read, work online and spend time without incurring any extra cost.

I went with a friend to this first Warm Wednesday at Theatr Gwaun which offered as well as free refreshments, a showing of the current film  - The Banshees of Inisherin (WOW!!) - also free of charge. I took this quick snap to record the occasion - there's a group of people reading or rehearsing, some other folk waiting, while the bar on the right out of sight is dispensing coffee and cake.
 In the event only around 15 seats were filled in the auditorium but the atmosphere was friendly, welcoming and yes, warm! This is a great initiative on the part of the theatre's staff and volunteers and I hope it will attract more punters on future Wednesdays.

(The film was superb and apart from everything else the cinematography was stunning and replete with Freespiralish  little patchwork fields, rambling roads, empty beaches and tumbledown dwellings. Recommended.)