This fantastic local organisation has now expanded to two units on Bridge Street in Darwen Town Centre, and has opened a secondhand shop dedicated to babies and children.
Darwen Community Helpers is a Community Interest Company founded by Samantha Nye. They do what it says on the tin – they are a helping hand for the Darwen community, with a mission to tackle loneliness and poverty.
A member of the Shop Darwen retailer community
Their first shop on Bridge Street joined the #shopdarwen campaign back in November 2023, and has been a valued member ever since. That means if you spend £5 or over in their store, you are eligible for an entry form to the Shop Darwen prize draw.
We caught up with Samantha to find out more about the new children’s shop and community hub:
“Our children’s store provides families with low-cost essential items. While parents shop, we have set up a children’s corner where kids can be entertained with activities such as colouring, playing with our basketball game, or enjoying our elephant ball game. The feedback from families has been very positive.”
What a great asset for us here in Darwen Town Centre.
The children’s shop opening hours are:
– Monday: 10 AM – 5 PM
– Tuesday: Closed
– Wednesday: 10 AM – 5 PM
– Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM
– Friday: 10 AM – 5 PM
Local Darwen businesses
The new location also has several rooms and a studio above the main shop. Various local Darwen businesses will be hiring these spaces, including:
– The Hub – Dance & Acro
– Darwen Acupuncture Clinic
– Primrose Holistic Therapy
– LR Hairdressing
Plus there’s a well equipped office space available to hire on an hourly basis.
Stay tuned for more news and family events!
There’s lots more exciting plans in the works, including a partnership with the RSPCA to create a pet food bank, plus a potential community “yarden” project to take advantage of the outside space. Plus there are many exciting opportunities for local families over the following months, including a day trip to Flamingo Land in the summer, movie days in the studio, and story time sessions with local PCSO Mark Dixon, in addition to other collaborative projects with the police.
Follow Darwen Community Helpers on Facebook to keep up to date with all their latest news and events, and be sure to visit their new shop soon!
