Special signs are being displayed across Tyne and Wear's bus and Metro public transport network to show people where they can find their nearest warm hub.
The warm hubs are also known as a warm bank or a warm space. They are safe places that are heated and allow those who cannot afford to put their heating on at home can stay warm this winter. In many of the warm spaces, the heating will remain on round the clock. In addition, the warm spaces offer shelter from the weather and many also offer warm drinks such as tea and coffee.
The signs are being displayed on posters and community noticeboards at bus stops and Metro stations throughout the Tyne and Wear region. The signs incorporate a QR code, which when it is scanned with a smartphone, will advise people of the nearest warm hub, a welcoming place where they can keep warm.
The need for a warm hub has escalated during the cost-of-living crisis when energy bills have soared. As a result, councils across the region have set up warm hubs across North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Newcastle, and Gateshead.
Maps and facilities available at the area's warm spaces:
Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “We have special signage across the bus and Metro network to help people find their nearest local warm hub. Customers will see them on posters and bus stations and on Metro community noticeboards.
“They are QR codes which link through to the nearest warm space in relation to the bus or Metro station that you are at.
“This is a vital service as we enter the coldest winter months and Nexus is happy to play its part in helping people access these vital services during the cost of living crisis.”
