A community-based organisation which was formed in response to the pandemic has now supported more than 10,000 people across Burnley and Padiham.

Burnley Together offers services to people in the community that need help. Over the last 12 months the service has been at the frontline helping people of all ages and backgrounds with the on-going cost of living crisis.

Burnley Together is a partnership of local organisations including Burnley Borough Council, Calico Homes, Burnley Leisure, and Culture, Burnley FC in the Community, Community Grocery, The Message Trust, Burnley Pendle and Rossendale Council For Voluntary Service, NHS and many others.

Based at Down Town in Charter Walk Shopping Centre, the community service offers a range of guidance and support to communities across Burnley and Padiham from discounted food shops, the Christmas toy appeal, a preloved school uniform shop, to guidance on money, housing and skills and employability.

Over the summer, Burnley Together had more than 8,000 people contacting the service with over 800 being new users to the service.

Also, there were 585 new memberships at the community grocery with 1,000 memberships at Down Town and 2,700 at Valley Street Community Centre.

More than 800 people have used the Relove the Preloved school uniform shop of Burnley Together.

Nicola Larnach, co-ordinator: “Burnley Together is all about different services collaborating to help people in need.

“We are continuing to work on a range of issues in the community and with the generosity of the people of Burnley, we will continue to make a difference to people’s lives.

“If you are not sure who to turn to, we can help.”

To keep the doors of Down Town open, Burnley Together must raise £30,000 to continue to provide vital services across Burnley.

The Burnley Together team are running fundraising events throughout the year to carry on supporting the community and accepting donations for the use of meeting room spaces at Down Town.