Warm hubs have become a vital resource in communities across Northumberland as rising energy prices put a strain on finances, with more than 100 opened across the county this winter.
Pensioners are turning to the Age UK Northumberland hub to keep warm as increasing bills force them to turn off their heating and use blankets instead.
The hub at The Round House in Ashington is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 1pm and allows residents to enjoy a warm cuppa, lunch, TV and games.
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We visited the hub, which was bustling with activity, to chat with people enjoying a warm bowl of soup and cuppa.
One Ashington lady and her husband, who wished to remain anonymous, said they have become quite conscious of having their heating on.
He said: "We shut the blinds and curtains and doors. What you get from the Government stops so we are quite conscious about what is coming next."
She added: "Quite often we sit with our blankets around us, trying to keep the heating down. We just have one little light on in the sitting room whereas before I used to have lights on in the landing and porch. You just have to economise.
"We have a smart meter. My husband reads it every day and it has gone up twice.
"It is awful. We are watching our pence. It is going to get worse.
But the lady praised the work being done by the warm hub team at Age UK and said it was nice to visit.
She said: "Apart from Cathy's good food, it is nice and warm as I wouldn't be sitting like this at home. I would have a jumper on. It is nice and friendly."
June Padley, 75, Morpeth, said: "I must admit money doesn't go as far as it did. There is a lot less spare cash around.
"I don't think it has made a big difference to me yet. But I do still have a small mortgage and I have just had a note saying it is going to go up another £100 per month and that is going to be a big jump in the future.
"That could well make a big difference. I have a summer house where I do a lot of arts and crafts but I can't use it in the winter now because we have cut right back on the heating."
June, who goes to a craft group at the centre on Lintonville Parkway, said the warm hub seemed to be popular with residents
She added: "This is the most I have seen. It is really busy today so it is obviously well used."
Patricia Webb, 82, who travelled from Pegswood, said: "Petrol has come down a little bit but I think it will go up again before it is finished.
"I have just ordered some suet and it has gone up to £3 a box and it used to be £1 something, so it has doubled."
Patricia hasn't changed her lifestyle massively. She added: "You don't know what is going to happen you see. You have to manage, don't you? You have to cut down on some things."
Another lady, who wished to stay anonymous, added: "I had good teachers in my parents and we were told you waste nothing. And now it is standing me in really good stead. I have changed my phone company because it was getting ridiculous but otherwise I haven't changed a thing."
Warm hub cook Cathy Harnwell said: "It is so good to see so many people coming in and they love it.
"There is a 91 year old man who walks 40 minutes on a Thursday and comes for his soup."
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