Cash crisis for Blackburn charity 'lifeline' (From Blackburn Citizen)
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Cash crisis for Blackburn charity 'lifeline'
2:00pm Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News
A BLACKBURN ‘lifeline’ charity has said it is down to its last few months’ rent.
Blackburn Lighthouse, a sympathy listening service, features a team of volunteers who fear their services are in danger.
The team, which provide a sympathetic ear to people who have no one else to talk to, said it can only pay for their base for another two months.
Founders Kathleen Barlow and Susan Haresceugh have helped hundreds of people over the past three years.
Now they are launching a bid to persuade 70 supporters to donate £4 a month which would cover the charity’s rent at their base in King Street, Blackburn.
Kathleen, 60, of Feniscowles, said: “It’s so important that we keep going.
“We have been doing marvellous work with people who just want someone to listen to them.
“It would be such a great shame if it stopped because we didn’t ask for help enough.
“I set this up because when I was diagnosed with epilepsy there was no one to talk to about it. I didn’t need anything else except someone who was willing to listen.”
Susan, 68, said: “It is so rewarding, it is difficult to describe how much.
“Some people come to us feeling absolutely hopeless and before long you begin to see changes.
“People tell us they have found themselves a course they are studying, or they’ve got a part time job. It is wonderful to see people flourish just because they had someone to listen to them.”
The service can be accessed by phone and people are also free to drop in for ‘tea and sympathy’ at the King’s Court base.
Kathleen said: “When people come to the Lighthouse, they see the cosy room and realise it’s not like counselling.
“We make a brew, people relax and feel more at home. We just want to listen and encourage people to have confidence in themselves to cope”.
Anyone who would like to either offer support or needs someone to talk to can contact Blackburn Lighthouse on 01254 296078 or Kathleen on 07954 152721
Comments(12)
2 for 5p
says...
3:00pm Sat 2 Feb 13
witton13
says...
8:16am Sun 3 Feb 13
2 for 5p
says...
9:08am Sun 3 Feb 13
witton13 wrote:Well if you dont like the attitude of the town MOVE.
And these comments confirm to me the ignorant, selfish, bigoted attitude that makes blackburn such a depressing place to live.
witton13
says...
9:22am Sun 3 Feb 13
Oh and wassy isn't a word.
Fire Fly
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10:27am Sun 3 Feb 13
jimpy0 wrote:Perhaps you could set up a charity to assist those who read something, which then totally bypasses their brain & results in comments completely off topic??
supprt gays and lesbians and illegals then apply for council/government funding
I'd suggest factoring in people such as 2 for 5p...being charitable, I suppose we should make allowances for him as his brain never formed, leaving him with a type of moronic turrets which results in these repetitive outbursts of inane drivel.
Fire Fly
says...
10:29am Sun 3 Feb 13
2 for 5p wrote:I feel this is an excellent suggestion in your case as I don't think there is enough money in the world to pay someone to listen to you my love. God bless brick walls!
It sounds like a right wassy charity that does. Talk to somebody, why not just talk to a brick wall its about as much use.
Jack Herer
says...
8:40pm Sun 3 Feb 13
2 for 5p wrote:You have the strangest attitude for a public servant.
It sounds like a right wassy charity that does. Talk to somebody, why not just talk to a brick wall its about as much use.
The milk of human kindness doesn't exactly flow freely from you does it?
Jack Herer
says...
8:43pm Sun 3 Feb 13
witton13 wrote:Sadly true.
And these comments confirm to me the ignorant, selfish, bigoted attitude that makes blackburn such a depressing place to live.
There was a story in this paper not long ago about £50,000 in lottery funding being awarded to gays and lesbians in Burnley to investigate their own history. I mean seriously wtf when worthwhile charities like this one are suffering.
It's a nutty world.
2 for 5p
says...
9:03am Mon 4 Feb 13
Jack Herer wrote:Your quite right there it does not
2 for 5p wrote:You have the strangest attitude for a public servant.
It sounds like a right wassy charity that does. Talk to somebody, why not just talk to a brick wall its about as much use.
The milk of human kindness doesn't exactly flow freely from you does it?
useyourhead
says...
9:51am Mon 4 Feb 13
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As the world gets more crowded we seem to want to live more isolated - can anyone see how that just isn't gonna work?
norah bhatty
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1:55pm Mon 4 Feb 13
How do we know that all the money being sent overseas is used for the purpose it was intended? Do we have any facts to support these donations?
I genuinely feel sorry for the people who simply cannot manage, either because of job losses or because they need help to budget their financies better. Every damm thing is going up, up and up again. Do wages go the same way?
Trying to find work is a nightmare I am told, and the £50+ from the jobseekers is rubbish if someone has a family to support. Many of the big shops on the High Street are going and will continue to do so because now, more than ever people are turning to charity shops. And this is GREAT Britain? Somebody is having a laugh.
jimpy0 says...
2:28pm Sat 2 Feb 13