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Oxfordshire food bank opens warm space for community

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A food bank charity is using its space as a warm bank from Wednesday until the end of January

A warm space is opening after the success of a Christmas Eve meal.

On Christmas Eve at Exeter Hall, Kidlington, volunteers for Cherwell Collective prepared 150 meals which were served to the community, and distributed hampers of food.

The charity runs a surplus food bank, with more than 3,000 people registered to collect food when they need it.

From Wednesday, the hall will be opened as a warm space until the end of January.

Emily Connally, head chef and founder of the collective, said the warm space would be a "place where people can come spend some time together".

People visiting the space would not be "worrying too much about heating their homes during the day because they can come here instead", she said.

Warm food and drinks will be available all day but the collective is also offering crotchet sessions, seated exercises, puzzles and games.

"Mostly people are just coming so they're not spending so much time alone," Dr Connally told the BBC.

The space will be open from 09:00 to 17:00 GMT from Wednesdays to Saturdays until the end of January.

Guests at the Christmas Big Lunch at Exeter Hall in Kidlington, Oxford
The 150 guests tuck into the Christmas lunch at Exeter Hall

In addition to the lunch on Christmas Eve, the collective received a delivery of at least 30 pallets of excess food.

Dr Connally told the BBC the food was distributed in hampers for 500 people in the area.

Another mass surplus food drive will be taking place on New Year's Eve at the hall.

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