Thursday October 1st 2026
Inverclyde Council headquarters. The council's Warm Hand of Friendship fund supported more than 19,000 attendances last winter.
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Inverclyde Council’s Warm Hand of Friendship funding initiative supported more than 19,000 attendances last year.
A report by Inverclyde Council’s Inclusive Communities into the 2025/26 funding also details that £110,000 was awarded to 75 voluntary, community and third-sector organisations to provide warm and welcoming community spaces across Inverclyde.
Between October 2025 and March 2026, the programme provided access to food, advice, practical support and social connections to help reduce the impact of poverty and social isolation.
It reached families, older people, people affected by poor mental health, recovery and addiction challenges, people for whom English is a second language and those experiencing financial hardship.
Since the fund launched in 2022, the council has distributed close to £375k to dozens of community organisations. It began in response to the cost-of-living crisis and in September 2024 was extended until 2027 with £560,000 committed towards it by Inverclyde Council.
Last year the council committed to funding the initiative through to June 2028.
Council leader Stephen McCabe said: “As the nights start to draw in, it’s a good time to remind people of the support which is out there over the winter months.
“The Warm Hand of Friendship has been embraced by the people of Inverclyde since we launched it in 2022 and has grown every year.
“It has developed from an emergency winter response during the cost-of-living crisis, to helping local organisations address poverty, isolation and wellbeing across our communities.
“We are proud to have supported local organisations which have helped make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Most organisations supported adults aged 25–64, while 67 per cent provided activities, food or space for people aged 65 and over.
Among child poverty priority families attending, lone-parent families represented the largest group.
One organisation reflected: “Everyone felt that the Warm Hands events were very successful and conducive in bringing community together. Making sure individuals are warm and have food is a community priority but making sure people have someone to talk to and share any worries are crucial for wellbeing nowadays.”
Food and warmth were consistently identified as key drivers of participation. Organisations reported increasing attendance, with some sessions reaching capacity and recording year-on year growth: “Each week we had over 120 people attend our sessions, booked to capacity.”
“Families attend more regularly with the provision of food, particularly in the winter months.”
Another participant described the wider benefits of attending: “I worry about the cost of everything these days, but finding out about services in Inverclyde through the Monday café event has been a game changer. Things are still costly but the support and advice I got from Home Energy Scotland through Wise Group has been brilliant, made such a difference and having a day where I can enjoy delicious hot food free of cost and can take some home is wonderful.”
Read the full report here.
Applications for this year’s fund will open in October. Check the council’s webpage Warm Hand of Friendship Nov 2025 – Inverclyde Council and social media for more details.
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