Leeds Trinity University has opened its doors to people who are struggling to keep warm as the cost of living crisis deepens.
The Andrew Keane Learning Centre (AKLC) will be available to members of the public as a warm space over autumn, winter and spring 2022/2023. It is hoped this will help people who are struggling to afford their heating costs to stay warm as it gets colder.
It will be open during the library's usual opening hours. These are 8.30am to 7pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 6pm on Friday or 9am to 4.45pm Monday to Friday during off-peak opening.
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The AKLC will be open to anyone aged over 18 who lives or works in the areas of Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Wakefield, the City of York and Selby. You will also be able to access the library without a card.
Nick Goodfellow, Director of Library & Learning Resources at Leeds Trinity University, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer the Andrew Kean Learning Centre on our campus as a Warm Space for members of our local community to use over the coming months.
"We are very proud to be a member of the Horsforth community and want to do everything we can to support those who may be struggling. We hope that our library space and facilities provide support at a time of real need during the cost of living crisis."
All open areas of the library can be accessed, including open plan study spaces and seating adjacent to the library café. This café will be open during term time from 8am to 2.30pm. Vending machines are open outside of these hours as well as water fountains.
Professor Malcolm Todd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: "We hope the provision of a warm space in our library will help anyone who needs it in our community during this challenging time. As a university, we promote the principles of dignity, respect, social justice, equity and inclusion, and we take our civic responsibilities very seriously.
"We are very keen to do as much as we can to help and engage with our local community, and to support the work of Horsforth Town Council and Leeds City Council with initiatives like the Warm Spaces network. I am very pleased we are able to offer this space and know my colleagues in the Andrew Kean Learning Centre will welcome all who wish to use it."
Anyone who wants to use the library is asked by Leeds Trinity to visit the helpdesk at the front on arrival so they can be shown around. It will be open until the end of March 2023 when the university will decide whether to extend the service or not.
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