A warm bank in Blackburn is offering much-needed support for families across the borough.
Staff at the Salvation Army 'Warm Bank', based opposite Morrisons wanted to encourage more people to attend the centre during the cold winter months.
They also told of how the soaring energy costs had meant some families were unable to turn the heating on at all during the day.
David Yates was at the centre on Thursday and said the service had been a lifeline for families.
He said: “You are just living from one day to the next.
“The heating has been on (at home) but not very much.
“We have been coming since the first Thursday it opened and it is ideal to just be able to come and talk to people, where there are free cups of tea, free toast and different people every week.
“It must be horrendous for families. I have seen people who have been struggling to feed the children. I have talked to people who have not been able to put their heating on.
“To live like that must be horrendous but places like this you can come and the youngsters can get warm. They can also have a good play.”
Oliver with grandad David and aunt Melanie at the Salvation Army Warm Bank.
Ashley and Nasreen Dawson have been working at the centre for more than 18 months and help to manage the weekly warm bank.
Ashley said: “We started at the beginning of November. It seemed like a really good opportunity for us in the heart of the community to help out where we can by opening our doors.
"The word is getting out we are here. There is no cost involved for anyone between 10am and 1pm, where anyone can come along.
“We have had a person bring in a recently arrived refugee from Iran and they are helping them acclimatise and to be part of a community.
“Just last week we had someone coming, who was very lonely and they were saying that Christmas is just another day and he will be having a takeaway on Christmas day.
“We would like this to be an opportunity for lots of people to come and join us. It is an opportunity to turn the heat off at home and come and make friends with other people.
“Everyone who does come are really happy that they came.”
Ashley and Nasreen Dawson who host the weekly sessions at the Salvation Army tell us why the weekly sessions are so important.
This year, the Salvation Army is also working in partnership with Secret Santa so gifts can be donated to children across the borough.
It is one of several charitable projects in the run up to Christmas both Nasreen and Ashley have been involved in.
Nasreen said: “If this Warm Club carries on, we are thinking of turning it into a lunch too. So I would like to ask any volunteer who can help me.”
Ashley added: “We are here in the central place of the town.
“I would encourage other churches and community centres to open up if they are able too.”
Anyone can visit the centre between 11am and 2pm every Thursday at the Salvation Army on Vicar Street.
Nasreen Dawson at the Salvation Army
Here are some of the other warm hubs in Blackburn with Darwen
• Blackburn Library, Town Hall Street
• Cherry Tree Library
• Mill Hill Library
• The Bureau Centre for the Arts, Penny Street
• Salvation Army, Vicar Street
• Roman Road Library
• Woodlands Church, Preston Old Road
• Big Local, Accrington Road
• Central URC DARE Group, Darwen
• Darwen Library
• Darwen Heritage Centre
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