The Mall Blackburn’s head of security will spend time in the cells at Blackburn Police station - all in aid of a very worthy cause. 

Ronnie O’Keeffe, who has worked at the shopping centre for more than a decade, is joining people from across the town to take part in Blackburn with Darwen Age UK’s Jail and Bail fundraising event, which takes place on Tuesday 22nd March.

Participants will be handcuffed and charged with mythical crimes before being locked up between 9.30am and noon, but they can secure an early release by raising at least £250 ‘bail money’ for the charity.

Everything - from individual JustGiving pages to sponsorship forms - is created by the team at independent local charity Blackburn with Darwen Age UK and the event, which has not taken place since 2019, is its biggest fundraising event of the year.

Ronnie is delighted to be involved. He said: “This is a fantastic initiative for a very important local cause and I am really looking forward to taking part.

“Of course, my team think it is hilarious that I will be spending some time in the cells in Blackburn, but it will be worth every minute when we raise lots of money and I am sure they will all donate generously to secure my bail!”

Loraine Jones, general manager of The Mall Blackburn, added: “Ronnie is such a great sport and the irony that our Soft Services Manager which is our head of our security will be ‘doing time’ is hilarious - I have already made my donation so we can get him back as soon as possible!

“It is wonderful to see that Blackburn with Darwen Age UK can hold this event after two years of Covid disruption, especially as they are raising funds for the age group that was impacted the most by the pandemic.

“We will certainly be getting lots of photographic evidence of him in the cells too, so it is set to be a fun day!”

Vicky Shepherd, chief executive at Blackburn with Darwen Age UK, added: “It has been a long and difficult two years for the charity and not being able to host our largest fundraising event for the last two years has been tough.

“It is great to be back and Ronnie and the team at The Mall have really entered into the spirit of Jail and Bail, which is wonderful.

“Locally there has never been a more important time to be able to offer support to our older people and their carers, and this is a super start to a much more positive year!”

Ronnie’s freedom can be secured by donating here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/JandBail2022Ronnie