A NEW project giving food and essential supplies to people sleeping rough or in inadequate shelter has been launched in Blackburn.


The Free Project was set up by counsellor Donna Bailey, probation officer Emma Hammond and her husband, Craig, a social science lecturer at University Centre at Blackburn College.


The community interest company was set up after the founders got involved with an informal feeding of the homeless which took place in Canterbury Street on Sunday nights.


They were then joined by a handful of friends and family who began to volunteer on a Sunday night, helping to give out hot and cold food as well as other essentials, such as toilet paper, soap, and other items most people can take for granted.


Since July, the volunteer bank has grown to more than 30 people from across Lancashire, including a barber who offers free haircuts. 


Ms Bailey said: "What we are trying to do is fill in the gaps that existing services do not provide.


"There are local charities working with people who are struggling with poverty and homelessness.


"What we found on the Sunday nights was that people were coming for some food and then staying and talking about what had happened to them.


"There is a link between homelessness and mental health issues but people, particularly men, do not want to talk about their problems.


"And this is where we aim to develop the project further in the future. These particular groups have had limited access to emotional and practical support due to constraints of their situation. 


"We see ourselves as a first step in building a trusting and supportive relationship with a client, which is a pre-requisite for further work including resettlement away from current life style.


"Hopefully by talking about how they have ended up where they are and getting things out, we can help them rebuild their lives and move forward."


Ms Bailey said the Sunday nights in Canterbury Street had started with a post on social networking site Facebook and had snowballed.


She said: "We started with just food and toilet roll, but then people would come and ask if we had shower gel and other essentials.


"It is about giving people what they need.


"We have already been getting 50 to 70 people coming to us on the Sunday nights."


Now The Free Project has been officially recognised, the directors can now start bidding for grant funding to improve its service.


Mrs Bailey said: "We will look for a building somewhere in the town where we can have dedicated rooms for counselling and a storage area for clothing and food.


"Eventually we will most likely look to take on more trained counsellors as the number of people coming to us grows."


Mrs Hammond said: "Without the dedication of the volunteers, there would be no project. 


"They are the backbone of The Free Project."