Swindon care home opens community 'Cool Space’ during heatwave

Visitors were invited to relax in the home’s air-conditioned communal spaces, enjoy complimentary refreshments, make use of its facilities and spend time getting to know the residents.
The offer forms part of a new group-wide ‘Cool Space’ scheme introduced across all six homes in the Connaught Care Collection. Since launching, the initiative has welcomed families with young children, local community wardens, district nurses and older people from across Swindon struggling to stay cool at home.
The team hopes these ‘Cool Spaces’ will offer a model for other communities across the country seeking ways to cope during periods of extreme weather. 
The scheme has already proved popular with local visitors and was also featured in a segment on Good Morning Britain in Chichester.
Susan Hughes, Community Engagement Lead at Willowbrook View, said: “When temperatures began to rise this summer, opening our doors to the community felt like a natural way to help.
"Everyone here at the home has a relative, friend or neighbour who was struggling to stay safe and comfortable in the heat. 
"That’s when we realised that we already had many of the things people need right here: air-conditioning, comfortable places to sit, plenty of cold drinks and a supportive community ready to welcome them”.
The Cool Space initiative follows an exceptional run of hot weather across the UK. Temperatures of 35°C or higher were recorded in May, June and July 2026 – the first time this has happened across three consecutive months since records began.
Unfortunately, this extreme heat poses a particular risk to vulnerable people. The highest rates of heat-related mortality are recorded among people aged 85 and over, with significant numbers also seen among those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. 
With the Met Office warning that climate extremes are becoming the “new normal for the UK”, communities will increasingly have to consider how best to protect vulnerable people during periods of intense heat.
The Cool Spaces initiative is one practical response to that challenge. Inspired by 'cooling centres' already used in the US and Canada – where air-conditioned libraries, community centres and other public buildings are opened during heatwaves – Connaught Care recognised that each of its homes could serve a similar purpose.
Mathan Balasubramaniyan, General Manager at Willowbrook View said: “Hotter summers and unpredictable weather extremes are something every community will have to adapt to in the years ahead. 
"However, by working together and supporting vulnerable people through the heat, we believe communities can more than rise to that challenge. 
"That will mean making better use of existing spaces and finding simple, practical ways to support those most at risk. We hope our Cool Spaces go some way towards achieving that goal.”
The Cool Space is not intended as a substitute for medical assistance, and anyone showing signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke should follow NHS guidance and seek appropriate help. 
The space is open to anyone in the community who needs respite from the heat, with all refreshments, amenities and services provided free of charge.
Willowbrook View provides residential, dementia, respite and convalescence care from its purpose-built home in Swindon. 
For more information or to arrange a private tour, call 01793 387950 or follow Willowbrook View Care Home on Facebook.
 

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