Flood-damaged Darwen charity shop appeals for help to re-open (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Flood-damaged Darwen charity shop appeals for help to re-open

3:00pm Sunday 22nd July 2012 in Hyndburn

A CHARITY shop devastated in recent floods is appealing for help as it bids to reopen soon.

Broken Arcs in Duckworth Street lost most of its stock when heavy rains saw parts of the town sumberged.

The shop was opened in 1994 to help poverty-stricken people locally and abroad.

It sells a variety of donated items, including clothing, bric-a-brac, toys, and other items people find they don’t have a need for.

Founder Pat Monks said she wants to get the shop reopened as soon as possible to continue the charity’s work.

She said: “When the floods hit Darwen we were effectively wiped out.

“It has taken three or four weeks to dry off and we want to get back open again.

“We have two shops next door to each other, but we lost everything in the ladies’ and children’s shop and a lot from next door.

“So to get up and running we need some donations.”

Pat said one project she wants to kick start is sending school uniforms to Malawi.

She said: “Now that the children have finished school there is a lot of unwanted uniform around.

“I want to send a consignment to Malawi as part of an ongoing project we have over there.”

Broken Arcs closed in 2007 to allow Pat to take on a number of projects in Africa.

But it came back to Darwen in 2010 and last year the decision was taken to expand by buying the adjacent shop unit.

There are eight volunteers who work at the shop.

Anyone who can help Pat should visit the shop at 85-89 Duckworth Street, opposite the Access Point, call 01254 705727 or email brokenarcs@hotmail.co.uk