An IT guru has created an online service which will enable city folk to easily find their nearest warm bank amid soaring energy bills this autumn and winter.
Jason Baldry is the founder of Flint Collective and head of creative and IT at St Thomas Church in Earlham Road who noticed a lack of a directory to register a location as a warm bank online.
The former University of Lincoln computer information systems student has decided to create his own pin map to signpost people to their nearest warm space.
It comes as Ofgem has announced the energy price cap will rise to £3,549 from October 1 - an increase of more than 80pc.
The directory is called Warm Spaces.
Mr Baldry, 35, said: "A warm bank is not just for people in desperate need.
"A lot of people are working from home post-Covid and are being asked to keep their lights and heating on in addition to charging their laptop.
"They may not be sure they can fund this anymore but do not have an office desk to return to."
St Thomas Church has begun exploring whether it could offer a warm bank at its own venue Mitre Coffee in Earlham Road.
Mr Baldry said: "I have heard people talking about getting a bus to King's Lynn and back using a pass because they know it will be warm.
"Goodness knows how we can be in that situation as the sixth-largest national economy in the world."
Councils across the UK have pledged to use public buildings to keep people warm this winter but Mr Baldry believes a co-ordinated approach is important.
He added: "We do not know what we are heading into with Covid which could rear its head again as the temperature drops.
"We want to help people visit somewhere where they can gather in warm spaces."
Mr Baldry is urging organisations to list their venues on the warmspaces.org directory.
He said: “We’re not asking people to do anything new.
"If a venue, such as a church or community centre or library is open already, we’re simply asking them to add their details to the website.”
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