Community Cohesion

Places of Welcome

Places of Welcome is a rapidly growing grassroots movement of welcome and hospitality. It seeks to ensure that there are safe places in every community for people to connect, belong and contribute.

Our workers are involved in setting up Places of Welcome in Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton, as well as the whole of Staffordshire.

They are located in Churches, Mosques, Temples and Community Centres, and increasingly in Staffordshire’s libraries, thanks to partnerships with Staffordshire Libraries Service, and funding from Lichfield District Council and Tamworth Borough Council.

TCT is also part of the Core Group supporting the growth of Places of Welcome nationally with Near Neighbours.

Bringing People Together

Bringing People Together (BPT) is a network designed to ‘connect people to others from the comfort of their own home’.

Inspired and influenced by our learning from Places of Welcome, BPT uses telephone and online platforms to enable people to connect safely with others in their neighbourhood and form lasting friendships.

Our aim is for BPT to become a network of local groups, offering a safe place for friendships, laughter and encouragement, all from the comfort and safety of your own home!

BPT groups all share the same principles: invitation, welcome and mutual respect.

How did BPT come about?

Covid 19 has changed the way that we interact with others and build community.

Bringing People Together is an alternative and innovative way of getting people together. Many of us are feeling more isolated or lonely and are looking for safe ways to get to know people in our community. Many of us can’t or don’t feel ready to leave our own home. We want to make a real difference to people who are living alone or vulnerable in other ways.

We are delighted to be partnering with the National Lottery Communities Fund with this growing initiative.