A NEW project launched to to give food and essential supplies to people sleeping rough or in inadequate shelter has acquired a base in Blackburn.

The Free Project was launched on the back of an informal feeding of the homeless event that took place in Canterbury Street on Sunday nights last year.

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And this week the community interest company, set up by husband and wife Craig and Emma Hammond, will pick up the keys to its new premises in the former Blackburn Foodbank base at Brunswick Street after the foodbank moved to Oakenhurst Road.

The move represents a big step in The Free Project’s plans to become established in the town, said probation officer Mrs Hammond.

She said: “From humble beginnings we are hoping to grow and grow so we can help more people in Blackburn.

“Now we have a base we can start to stockpile donations and take in more of the items that the generous people of this area want to give.

“It also opens up the possibility of bringing people in for counselling so we can try to help people in ways other than just giving them food and essentials.”

Dr Hammond, a social science lecturer for University Centre at Blackburn College, added: “We are also looking to acquire a van so we can pick up donations and also travel to different parts of Blackburn to give handouts to people in harder to reach places.

“Once we are more mobile we could potentially think about growing the project to serve other areas of East Lancashire as well.”

Since launching The Free Project, the volunteer bank has grown to more than 30 people from across Lancashire.

They include a barber who offers free haircuts.

Three more directors – Dave Kenyon-Woodruff, Katie Parker and Mike Johnson – have also signed up to help run the project.

And up to 70 homeless or poverty-stricken people regularly visit on Sunday nights to be given a hot meal and essentials such as toothpaste or soap.

They can also talk about their problems with people willing to listen.

The Free Project will host an Easter fundraiser at Wesley Hall Blackburn Central Methodist Mission, Feilden Street, on Saturday, April 4, from 1pm.

The event will include live music, jumble sale, vintage crafts, various stalls, bouncy castle, vintage tea room, face painting, balloon modelling, dancing, tombola and a raffle.