A warm bank will be opened at the Millmead Children’s Centre in Margate thanks to a donation from County Councillor Barry Lewis.
Cllr Lewis says the centre will use the funding to convert on of its rooms into a comfortable space for pre-school children to stay warm this winter. It is expected to open by October.
Last month there were calls at Kent County Council to identify places to be used as “warm banks” this winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Kent County Council’s shadow cabinet member for adult social care, Cllr Kelly Grehan (Lab) lobbied for the community to come together to provide aid.
She was preparing a list of places where people could keep warm and go to sit to play games, chat, use computers and play activities for free, or at minimal cost.
Suggested “warm bank” venues include churches and libraries to allow people to go sit, play games, use computers and engage in other activities for free.
The idea of warm banks has been raised due to the electricity and gas industry regulator Ofgem announcing the energy price cap will rise by 80 per cent to £3,549 from October 1.
Cllr Lewis said the centre will put sofas, curtains and other items to make the room homely.
He said: “It is specifically for pre-school children as they are the most vulnerable to suffer from lack of heat.
“I urge other councillors to do the same thing because we have a national emergency.
“The thought of adults suffering from cold is terrible but nothing compared with infants struggling with lack of heat.”
Cllr Lewis says he believes the Millmead warm bank, which is in Dane Valley ward, is possibly the first in Kent to be confirmed.
KCC is due to present a full report on the cost of living crisis to full council this month.
Find Millmead Sure Start Centre online here
Additional reporting Local Democracy Reporter Ciaran Duggan
