Plans to plough a further £30,000 into a programme of warm spaces in Renfrewshire will go before a summit on Wednesday.

Councillors will be asked to approve a cash boost for its Winter Connections programme in the form of £20,000, which will top up a small grants fund for community organisations and extend the initiative into February.

Members will also decide whether to allocate £10,000 to OneRen to support the work by providing activities across libraries at this week’s leadership board.

A total of 15 groups have received funding so far, with grants of up to £2,000 on offer to those interested in being a host.

Councillor Graeme Clark, vice chair of the Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee, said: “It tackles isolation because it’s not just about keeping people warm, it’s about people meeting together with arranged activities.

“It’s also there as a safety net for people who can’t afford to heat their homes and to eat, so I think it’s a wonderful programme.

“One of the other good things is it’s spread across Renfrewshire, it’s not centred in one area.

READ MORE: Venues and activities announced for Winter Connections programme

“We’ve managed to get applications from right across the region.”

The latest proposals follow an initial £50,000, which was given the green light by the board in September with a view to supporting the participation of local groups and covering some of the costs of delivering sessions.

The events and activities are free and open to everyone as parts of efforts to “guarantee a warm welcome”.

The fund was launched in October and initial awards were made earlier this month.

Depute council leader Jacqueline Cameron, chair of the Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee, said: “Winter can be a very difficult and lonely time for people and the cost-of-living crisis will make that worse this year.

“This programme will help people come together and support each other while learning new skills and making connections this winter.

“It will be a lifeline for people in our communities and I want to thank the community and voluntary groups who are working with us to make it happen.

“Our community and voluntary organisations played a vital role in supporting our communities during the pandemic and they are doing the same during the cost-of-living crisis.”