As temperatures rise and periods of extreme heat become more common, churches across London are being encouraged to consider opening their buildings as Cool Spaces to offer respite for their local communities.
The Greater London Authority’s (GLA) Cool Spaces scheme identifies indoor spaces where people can shelter from the sun, cool down and rest during periods of hot weather. By providing free access to a cooler indoor environment, these spaces can help reduce the health risks associated with extreme heat.
Churches have long served as places of welcome and hospitality. Churches that are able to open their buildings during hot weather can offer local people somewhere to take respite from the heat, while continuing their longstanding role of serving and supporting their communities.
Several churches in the Diocese of London are already registered as GLA Cool Spaces, including St Margaret’s, Uxbridge; Hope Church, Hounslow; St James, Hampton Hill; and St Barnabas, North Finchley. Their participation demonstrates how churches can contribute to London’s wider climate resilience efforts, as hotter summers become an increasingly familiar feature of life in the capital.
If your church is open to the public and is able to meet the scheme’s criteria, you may wish to consider registering as a GLA Cool Space. Submitted venues are reviewed by the GLA before being added to the online map, helping Londoners find somewhere nearby to shelter from the sun, cool down and rest during the summer months.
Churches that register can also publicise their opening times through parish websites, social media channels and community noticeboards, helping local residents know when they are welcome to visit.
To find out more about the GLA’s Cool Spaces initiative, including the eligibility criteria and how to register your church, visit the GLA’s Cool Spaces webpage.