Festive boost for two Burnley charities thanks to generous members at Pendle gym

LM Fitness Gym in Colne is teaming up with Church On The Street, Burnley Community Kitchen and Cash for Kids to help collect and donate presents for families.

Members, and anyone who wants to help the appeal, is invited to give either a brand new unwrapped gift, a good condition second hand toy or food tins.

Church on the Street will receive the pre-loved items. Based in Burnley this charity has helped to deliver food parcels to hundreds of poverty stricken families for over a year. And since the pandemic demand has doubled but a heartfelt appeal for support by Pastor Mick Fleming has resulted in a flood of donations.

The food will go to the Burnley Community Kitchen. Operated by Burnley FC in the Community, the organisation has worked with the BurnleyTogether community hub to deliver the foodbank element of the facility during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since lockdown the foodbank has fed over 7,000 people, over 3,000 of these have been children.

All the new gifts will be donated to Cash For Kids which supports children and young people affected by poverty, abuse, neglect, life-limiting illness and those who have additional needs.

Items will be collected tomorrow from noon to 3pm at the gym in Dockray Street.

The gym is very proactive in supporting a range of causes. Earlier this year coach Pete Joseph, who is organising the festive appeal, led a 36 hour sponsored row for Pendleside Hospice and Battle Cancer, a non profit organisation launched by Pete which has staged fundraising events across the world to raise thousands of pounds for cancer charities.

He was joined by gym owner Liam Macfarlane and Steve Backhouse and together they raised £6,000.