Secret Santa may have to leave plot at The Mall Blackburn

Secret Santa, formed in 2017 by Phil and Karen Boulding, is struggling financially and could be forced to move away from its store in King William Street.

Phil, speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph, said The Mall has been helpful and is trying to find another smaller plot inside the main building.

Phil and Karen fundraise for Secret Santa all year round (Image: Archive)

However, if this doesn’t happen, the charity will likely have to go back to operating from Phil and Karen's home in Lower Darwen.

The charity, which aims to deliver sacks full of Christmas presents to disadvantaged children in Blackburn with Darwen every year, posted on social media this week to say it had had its second day in a month with zero takings.

READ MORE: Secret Santa couple to pick up lifetime award

Phil said: “Since Covid, and with the current challenging financial situation, sales have been pretty lousy really.

"We lost money last year and currently, we’re losing money again this year. Obviously, we can’t continue to do that; we have to cut our cloth according to our means.

“A week ago we gave notice to The Mall that we needed to move out of the shop, which is quite sad.

"But The Mall has been absolutely brilliant ever since we moved in there. When I went to see the current manager she was very sad and disappointed.

The couple deliver presents to disadvantaged children in the borough every Christmas (Image: Archive)

“She is currently in discussions with the owner of The Mall to see if they can offer us a better internal unit which would attract more footfall.

"Part of the problem on King William Street is that for eight months of the year, it’s typically raining in Blackburn. Who wants to go out in the rain and the wet?

“We still see, despite being in the shop for four years now, people coming in and asking how long we’ve been there.

"When we tell them four years they say they don’t really come to this side of The Mall.”

READ MORE: Blackburn’s Secret Santa donates 1,200 Easter Eggs to kids

Phil said if The Mall isn't able to provide them with a new unit, they will have to return to working from home, as they did when Secret Santa was born seven years ago.

This could prove difficult with the amount of stock they would have to keep at their home, however Phil also appealed for anyone who could have spare storage space for them to use in the run-up to Christmas to come forward.

Secret Santa also put out an Easter Egg appeal earlier this year (Image: Archive)

Takings from the shop are used to organise events for children across the borough.

Currently, Secret Santa is trying to raise £2,000 to take a group on coaches to Gulliver’s World, and a picnic in the park family event in Roe Lee.

Phil said: “We don’t need to make a lot of money. Part of what we do is we sell toys at a reduced rate to help those who are struggling throughout the year.

“It’s not necessarily about making a fortune, we just need enough to allow us to do the things we do throughout the year.”

If you are able to donate any items, Secret Santa can be found in King William Street between the entrance to The Mall and B&M.