THE future of a charity which provides furniture and household goods to people in need has been secured for another year thanks to a £50,000 grant from Blackburn with Darwen's regeneration partnership.

Blackburn with Darwen Churches Together currently has two furniture stores in operation, but similar outlets run in Hyndburn and Burnley were forced to close last year because of a lack of funds.

The stores in Chapel Street, Blackburn, and Kay Street, Darwen, cost around £130,000 a year to operate and the £50,000 from the European Regional Development Fund ensures their security for the next 12 months.

Fred Milligan, general manager, said: "Without the £50,000 funding we would definitely not be here any more.

"During the last 15 months the furniture stores in Burnley and Hyndburn have both been forced to close purely and simply because of a lack of funding.

"Our charity is extremely conscious of the fact that without this latest help we very well could have been in a similar position.

"Both of the stores which closed were reliant on funding from Lancashire County Council and unfortunately in both cases the funding had to be cut. It was absolutely terrible for them."

Blackburn with Darwen Churches Action has received funding through Blackburn with Darwen Regeneration Partnership for the last five and a half years.

The remainder of the funding comes from charitable trusts and sales of goods such as cookers, washing machines and microwave ovens from the workshops.

The Blackburn and Darwen Churches Together stores collect unwanted furniture and household goods and then distribute them to people in need who have been referred by agencies such Social Services, health visitors and the probation service.

Each store has a recycling workshop used to repair and refurbish donated items.

These are also used by trainees under the New Deal scheme who are given six months' training in carpentry and electrical work.

The Blackburn branch was an ecumenical charity founded by the 63 churches of the town in 1995. It amalgamated with the Darwen store in 2001.