Rummage Rescuers CIC was born in 2015 to meet the needs of those in crisis, initially serving mainly the homeless community in Blackburn with Darwen, providing clean clothes and clean sleeping bags, through the Pound Pending scheme. whereby, much like pre-paying for a coffee for someone in need, members of the public could donate a pound towards items for someone in need. Since then we have expanded and now provide items of furniture, small kitchen items, clothing, footwear, school uniforms, new sleeping bags and hygiene products and kits to those in need locally. As many organisations the costs of raising rents and utilities are hitting us but we also understand there is more need than ever for the services we provide. We are also looking to expand our new Street Friends project to cover sunscreen and water in the summer months and thermal items in the winter months.
Last year Rummage Rescuers served 2352 individuals and families with essential items through these schemes. We also served 223 families with our Christmas Giving Festival, where local families struggling financially were able to come and choose an appropriate present for their child along with character blankets and new pyjamas. Entertainment and refreshments are provided at this event each year.
Rummage Rescuers CIC supports the local Food Bank Network and Family Hub Network with free sanitary products for women in the area to benefit from with no questions asked.
Here at Rummage Rescuers we do our utmost to enable individuals and families to be in control of the help they receive and to receive that help with dignity through choice. Our beneficiaries are encouraged to browse the items we have in our pre-loved sites and choose the items they need, making it feel like more of a hand up than a hand out.
Rummage Rescuers prides itself on being led by the community we serve both through the assistance we give and through accessible volunteering opportunities, which include further training beyond the basics which helps both to build confidence and to improve skills enabling volunteers to move forward to either further education and training or employment. We currently have 48 volunteers and these include many previous service users moving forward with their lives as well as those with both physical and learning disabilities, giving these individuals a sense of inclusion and meaningful activity.
All donations will help us to keep serving some of the most vulnerable members of our community with the practical support they need in a time of crisis.