20/03/2026
It has been a difficult day for us at Darwen Community Helpers CIC.
Like many organisations, we applied for the Darwen Community Fund and unfortunately we were not successful this time.
We understand how much demand there was, and we genuinely want to congratulate those who were awarded funding. There are some wonderful projects doing important work in our town.
But today still feels heavy.
Because behind what we do are real people. People who come through our doors every day with very real struggles.
Families who are trying to get through the week with nothing in the cupboards.
Parents doing their best but feeling like they are falling short.
Individuals who just need someone to listen, or a place to feel safe for a little while.
This is the reality we see every single day.
At Darwen Community Helpers, we provide food, essentials, clothing, a warm safe space, conversation, guidance, and a place where people feel seen and supported without judgement.
We run our breakfast club, our community hub, our children’s store, and so much more behind the scenes that people do not always see.
And we are not stopping there.
We have plans to grow. To reach more people. To bring in even more support, more opportunities, and more services for our community, because the need is not slowing down.
Many of the people we support are referred to us by services, including the council, and we do everything we can to meet them with care, dignity and compassion.
So it is hard not to feel disappointed. Not just for us, but for the people who would have felt the benefit of that support.
This is not about taking anything away from others. It is simply about being honest about the level of need that exists, and the pressure on those working on the front line of it.
We will keep showing up, because that is who we are.
But we will also keep speaking up for the people who rely on us, and for the support that grassroots organisations truly need to keep going and growing.
To our community, thank you for always standing with us. It means more than you know 💛
