History

Over the years we have achieved many things – awards, high standards for delivery, administration and management – and in March 2020 we achieved the Investing in Children award. Our staffing and provision has increased, and we have responded to continual operational and strategic change in local and national provision.

In 2019 we were selected for the DIY SOS Big Build for Children in Need which saw thousands of strangers come together to create our Safe@Silas project. On 3 September, people flocked to St Silas Church in Blackburn where they were meted by Nick Knowles and the gang from the BBC programme. This group of Nightsafe Heroes were briefed about the charity and got to meet spokespeople from the charity and find out why this centre was so desperately needed. The original nine-day build schedule had to be extended due to the amount of work required to make the shelter suitable, [...]

Edna Arnold was one of the original founders of Nightsafe, was a driving force in establishing the organisation. She was a first chairperson and subsequently became our Life President in 2002 Always hands on and fully involved, Edna championed the cause of young people across the political divide. Edna attended every Boxing Day celebration and remained active in the organisation until her sudden death in 2019. John Mason, one of the Nightsafe founders, described Edna as a ‘champion and stalwart supporter of young people and the Youth and Community Service. She regularly supported radical approaches to young people’s issues against the [...]

Sadly, in recent years we have lost two of the organisations driving forces Paula Kanuick and in 2019 Edna Arnold. Paula was a remarkable woman who was involved with Nightsafe from its very beginning. For over 20 years, Paula worked tirelessly to support our young people and championed their right to a secure safe home in order to fulfil their potential. Paula retired in 2012 and sadly passed away in July 2015. Paula was a wonderful caring woman, passionate about Nightsafe and the young people it serves. She touched the lives of so many people young and old. John Mason, one [...]

Nightsafe’s has received funding from Children in Need since 2014 to deliver LEAP (Life skills, Education and Achievements Project). LEAP provides additional support for young people aged 16-24 accessing Nightsafe services and experiencing crisis. The project aims to increase life-skills and education work within this age range throughout Nightsafe’s 5 projects (Night Shelter, Platform 5, Safe@Silas, Witton, Cornfield Cliffe and The Gatehouse) Young people who are referred into our emergency Night Shelter are supported on a 1:1 basis during this highly distressing time. All young people receive a LEAP Assessment and an action plan is drawn up. Close links with education [...]

Starting in 2014 with BIG Lottery funding our mentor service has been developed in partnership with the Volunteer Centre. This initiative links young people who are rough sleeping, vulnerably housed or sofa surfing with a volunteer mentor who will work with them to access settled accommodation.

Following the retirement of Paula Kanuik in 2012, Jan Larkin was appointed CEO working closely with Linda Sharrat. Linda joined Nightsafe and her extensive knowledge and expertise in youth housing helped the organisation develop robust and secure accommodation and laid the foundations for the high-quality service we have to day. She and Paula were an amazing duo. Linda retired in xxxx and Jan has led the organisation ever since, developing the organisation and expanding both the reach and range of services we provide.

In October 2011 we moved from the Fusebox to the Boulevard Buildings - our current office and Night Shelter provision - within the local Community CVS property. Staff and trustees took the opportunity to move forward and this move gave us updated provision, better shelter facilities and enabled us to sell the original shelter and use the funds to improve and expand our services. The shelter was named Platform 5 by the young people because it is next to the train station. Nightsafe’s emergency night shelter offers young homeless people aged 16 to 24 years old nine nights of emergency accommodation, [...]

Following the demolition of Woodvale Flats, Twin Valleys Housing supported us in securing and developing our amazing long-term accommodation at Cornfield Cliffe in Darwen. Cornfield Cliffe is a six-bedroom Victorian house and offers 24-hour support to young homeless people aged 16 to 24, which we opened in February 2008. We are firmly established as part of the community, working with local groups of all ages, maintaining the bowling green and running the Darwen Food Larder.

From the early beginnings, Nightsafe has met the needs of young people in Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley. Alongside the day centre and night shelter we moved into supporting moves into independent living working with the then Twin Valleys Housing Association (now called Together housing) providing supported accommodation in Woodvale Flats in Darwen. Here we worked with Action Factory Community Arts to build a peace garden, Connexions service provided support advice and guidance and we helped residents such as Amy move into permanent settled accommodation.