Ribbon cutting ceremony planned for official opening of sensory walkway at Charter Walk shopping centre in Burnley

The ceremony, to launch what will be a haven for shoppers in the heart of the town centre, takes place at noon on Monday, March 27th.

The sensory/garden walkway builds on the inclusivity Charter Walk has developed over the last five years culminating in being awarded the Diversity and Inclusion Scheme of the Year at the Sceptre Awards that recognise best practice in shopping centres last year.

Charter Walk was also awarded the 'It’s Your Neighbourhood level five outstanding' for its Budding Burnley initiative, which saw a number of permanent community run planters placed throughout the shopping centre with all produce grown being donated to local food banks.

Budding Burnley is an innovative green campaign which transformed a blank empty space at the shopping centre and gave it a new lease of life.

As a community project at the heart of the town centre, volunteers maintain the allotment, and this has been expanded with the development of the new sensory garden/walkway.

The crops are harvested and given to local food banks including Burnley FC in the Community. The allotment is also used for other initiatives - autism awareness, as a quiet space at one end as part of the inclusivity and sensory ongoing work and at the other end is home to a ‘Happy to Chat’ bench for mental health and loneliness. In November 2021 the shopping centre was given an award from the prestigious Britain in Bloom competition for its colourful and vibrant floral displays.

The Budding Burnley initiative has gone a long way to develop an under used space into an inclusive, accessible and immersive ‘sensory walkway’ which provides an accessible space for all ages and abilities.