This community centre is helping Burnley’s vulnerable when they need it most

A community centre established on Hammerton Street in Burnley earlier this year is helping more than 800 vulnerable people every week - and the town needs it this year more than ever.

Church on the Street run a thriving hub where homeless people, the disabled, drug addicts, people with mental health problems, the elderly, and those stuck in poverty can come for support.

The centre assists with almost every issue imaginable, whether that’s through providing hot meals, rehabilitation services, professional counselling, new school uniforms and supplies, bereavement support, or simply a safe space to talk and be part of a community.

Speaking to the Burnley Express, Pastor Mick Fleming, who runs the centre, explains that Burnley’s vulnerable are in a critical state.

“The situation is horrendous, and it’s only going to get worse. We’re seeing more and more homeless people now in Burnley. And what we’re finding is more and more old-age pensioners going hungry, which breaks my heart.”

The conditions have been grave for a while. In January, deaths from all causes in Burnley were 60 per cent above the national average, and not just from Covid-19.

Suicide rates were on the up. Drug-related deaths in Burnley hit an all-time high in 2020, whereas figures in Preston and Lancashire as a whole decreased compared to 2019.

Pastor Fleming believes testing times still lie ahead. In the autumn, the Government will cut £20 a week from Universal Credit allowances, an additional £20 that was granted in April 2020 that many have come to rely on to afford rent. That’s £1,040 per year, and there are 5.5 million people on Universal Credit.

Meanwhile, since 1st August, landlords have been allowed to evict tenants at two months’ notice, a huge reduction on the notice period of six months that was active until 31st May.

“We know exactly what will happen. There will be more poor, more rough sleeping, more sofa-surfing, and more hungry people, which will lead to more deaths.

“Because we’re working at street level and with the people who are suffering, we see these things before they happen. All we can do is prepare and put that information out there.

“We’ve got disabled people and elderly people who don’t know what to do and don’t have the capacity to help themselves. We’re here for them.”

This is why Church on the Street has been critical. They’re open every day, usually from 8am-5pm. They have six full-time salaried staff and roughly 20 volunteers making a difference in their community.

“There are no community centres quite like us in Burnley. We’re tackling poverty head on. We get people from all walks of life here; we’re not just for Christians. What we’re doing is relevant to people in need and it is changing lives.”