Reopening The Barlow

28 Jun, 2020

Hello all,

The specific policy and guidelines for a general reopening of the Barlow is currently being written, will be issued as soon as possible, and we will assess and amend each time government advice changes. Each of our user groups and events will have their own journey out of lockdown and we have been conscious not to have a ‘one size fits all’ approach as circumstances are different for each group. We have also taken a conscious decision not to ask anybody in shielding or isolation mode for their plans as we do not want to put anybody in a position where their safety may be compromised or they feel uncomfortable in any way.

As individual groups have pro-actively come to us we have given advice and help dependent on the position at the time and of course nothing is ‘set in stone’. The only function that is up and running is the snooker table which was felt to be a socially distanced pastime in any circumstances so when we were asked if it could be used and after due advice we gave permission. I think the next step will be getting the Reading Room to the point of providing a takeaway service via a one-way system from the main entrance to the corner entrance to the Reading Room, and I know that Sara, Lynn, and Philip are all supportive of opening as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so. At present we are only taking a very small number of tentative forward bookings and only with a strong caveat of our being open at the time and we have no specific target dates to fully reopen. The Singing for fun group have asked if they can resume socially distanced after July 4 and this is being considered at present.

Some of you may have seen the works done to the Car Park during lockdown and this is now in great condition for parking so we would ask if at all possible you could park on the car park and leave the road for those in need of a short route into the building.

We have had huge amounts of work in keeping our community fed and watered during lockdown and coordinating approximately 30 helpers with around 50 recipients has taken up most of our Barlow time in recent months and we have had a number of ‘pop up’ giveaway days for snacks and drinks both at the Barlow and in Belmont.

We have also heavily supported the Scarecrow Festival and the Edgworth Rocks initiative.

Most of the things that we are doing are well known via various social media bulletins but if anybody feels that you need more information then please do not hesitate to contact me whilst we continue our journey out of lockdown.

Regards,

Mike Fay
mike@thebarlow.co.uk

FRIENDS OF THE BARLOW

Blackburn with Darwen Council handed over the running and upkeep of The Barlow to the community in 2013. Since then The Barlow Charity has relied upon the generosity of benefactors and income from users of the facilities, plus the efforts of volunteers to sustain this much valued community facility. Significant improvements have been carried out to help ensure a long-term future, including a new roof, replacement windows, new hygienic worktops in the coffee shop kitchen and a new hot water & heating system. Most recently (summer 2022) the renovation of the outdoor veranda has been completed and a new adjacent decking area has been installed. In addition the snooker room has been restored to its former splendour by a small group of volunteers.

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An important source of funding that has contributed to the above mentioned improvements is The Friends of the Barlow scheme.  By becoming a Friend you can contribute to a fund that is used for repairs and renovations to the structural fabric of the building and pathways etc, and to upgrade, refresh and improve facilities e.g. now that the building is once again weathertight there are plans being drawn up for the main hall can be deep-cleaned, re-decorated and refurbished and other water-damaged areas such as the main stairway & its beautiful large, stained glass window to also be restored to their former glory.

As a Friend of The Barlow, your regular donations provide a much appreciated, steady income stream that to date (summer 2022) has raised in the region of over £40,000, which has been mostly used contributing towards paying for the roof, windows and heating system.
We intend to soon publish the overall list of improvements/tasks and from that you will see that there is a significant amount of expenditure still needed to achieve all of the identified tasks and improvements. We would welcome donations/sponsorship for specific items that may be of particular interest to individuals or families or groups, but the regular donations by Friends of The Barlow are also crucial. Therefore, we welcome any and all new donors and are grateful for whatever amount you choose to donate.

We are of course also very grateful to all of our existing Friends of The Barlow and if you are able to increase your monthly donation by any amount, that would be hugely appreciated – you can either make the increase to your standing order directly with your bank or you can complete a new form and send it to your bank or give it to us to process.

Please also consider increasing the value of your donation at no extra cost to you by using Gift Aid – as an example, an £8 donation from you becomes £10 with the Gift Aid add-on!

If you wish to donate please click on the link below, complete the form and either send it to your bank with an email copy to our email address fotb@thebarlow.co.uk  or return the completed form to the Barlow’s office in a sealed envelope addressed to Friends of The Barlow.  Paper copies of the form are available from The Barlow.

For any further information please email fotb@thebarlow.co.uk or contact the office via info@thebarlow.co.uk or 01204 852216.

Standing Order Form

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