Cost of living: Boston warm space sees rising numbers

The church believes it averages 50 to 60 people at its twice-weekly lunches

A church that offers free meals to a community in Lincolnshire has said demand for its services has risen as people worry about their bills.

Centenary Methodist Church, in Boston, offers a hot meal and a warm place to sit and chat twice a week.

It has been running on donations and surplus food from supermarkets for several years.

Reverend Dr Val Ogden said she would like to open more often, but is concerned about the church's own bills.

"We are really doing the number-crunching and the sums at the moment about how it will be affordable for us to be open, we would like to do it more," she said.

Dr Val Ogden said it was a "privilege" to open the church in this way

Dr Ogden said an average of 50 to 60 people attended on a Wednesday and a Friday and they had seen an increase in numbers.

People came looking for "friendship, listening ears as well as food and practical help".

Sarah Nicholls is one of those who go to the church, largely to just "talk to people".

She said life was "very hard" with rising prices.

"Food these days is getting expensive and some people can't afford the food so they come here," she said.

"There should be warm places like this for people to go to."

Joanna Criddle (left) and Rachel Gosling (right) both volunteer their time at the church

Volunteers run the kitchen, prepare the meals and clear up once people have left.

Rachel Gosling said she helped out because she "wanted to give back" after having come for the meals herself.

"I do think the cost of living crisis is pushing more people to come because they can't afford to cook a meal," she said.

"It is hard. I quite often go and stay at my family's so I don't have to pay for the electric and I don't use as much."

Sarah Nichols said people come for the food and the company

Analysis by Linsey Smith, News Correspondent

Boston's Centenary Church has been throwing open its doors for a number of years.

So offering that warm space might not be new, but the need is greater than ever.

Volunteers pride themselves on not asking visitors about their personal situation.

Everyone is welcome regardless of income, employment status or ability to donate.

On our past visits, we chatted with users of this free service who were homeless.

Others were migrant agricultural workers, living in shared homes with poor facilities.

However, returning again we met many people who had their own homes and were simply struggling to heat and eat seven days a week or battling with the emotional strain that can bring.

The Centenary Church is a welcoming place. They feel a duty to help their community, not only with practical help, but emotional support.

But the challenge is they also have limited resources and high energy costs to pay.

With rising bills, charities, councils and other organisations have been examining how to provide communal places for people to go to over the winter.

Offering that "warm, friendly, hospitable" space is, according to Dr Ogden, what churches are about.

"It is an absolute privilege to do it," she said.

Volunteer chef Joanna Criddle said producing a nutritious meal was something that gave her a "great deal of satisfaction".

She also described how one man had seemed ashamed to come in, but was warmly welcomed.

"We are not judging people," she said.

"They might be able to afford to pay for a meal at the pub, they might not, but we don't know that.

"They are all welcome."