Published on Thursday 13 August 2026 at 11:17 am
A unique travelling museum showcasing remarkable works from the Government Art Collection is set to make a special stop in Darwen this summer.
Published on Tuesday 4 August 2026 at 1:18 pm
This summer, families across Blackburn with Darwen can enjoy a packed programme of free and affordable activities taking place across the borough.
Filed under: affordable fun | Free activities | summer | summer activities
Published on Wednesday 15 July 2026 at 2:27 pm
The UK government has announced a social media ban for under-16s which is intended to come in to force by Spring 2027.
Filed under: Children's literature festival | Christina Gabbitas | Council Leader | Leader | Leader letter | Leader Phil Riley | open letter
Published on Wednesday 8 July 2026 at 1:24 pm
Students in Blackburn with Darwen have become the first in the country to complete a pioneering new digital and technology scholarship scheme.
Published on Friday 26 June 2026 at 11:17 am
Blackburn with Darwen have launched their biggest-ever Holiday Activities & Food (HAF) Programme, offering FREE activities and FREE meals for those eligible.
Filed under: HAF | Holiday Activities & Food
Published on Friday 12 June 2026 at 3:01 pm
Hundreds of excited schoolchildren erupted into loud cheers and rounds of applause when legendary author and poet Michael Rosen made a special guest appearance at the Blackburn with Darwen Children’s Literature Festival.
Published on Friday 12 June 2026 at 12:34 pm
A part of a national Shared Lives Plus campaign, a couple from Blackburn who became Shared Lives carers in their twenties, have shared how their experience.
Filed under: carers | Carers Service | carers week | Shared Lives | Shared Lives Scheme
Published on Tuesday 2 June 2026 at 11:54 am
Skilled and dedicated staff at a council run short break service for children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and autism, have been praised for their ‘outstanding’ work by Ofsted.
Filed under: Apple Trees | OFSTED | Outstanding
Published on Friday 22 May 2026 at 3:58 pm
Little Harwood Family Hub was honoured to host the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel De Souza this week (21st May 2026).
Filed under: Children and Young People | children's centres | Children's Commissioner | Family Hubs
Published on Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 4:02 pm
Lancashire’s biggest making festival will take over Blackburn town centre on 4th & 5th July for a family-friendly weekend packed with exhibitions, live performances, hands-on making activities, film screenings, makers markets, street food and lots more.
Published on Thursday 26 March 2026 at 10:39 am
As part of Exploitation Week, Blackburn with Darwen Family Help Engage Team brought together agencies from across the borough to shine a spotlight on key issues facing young people today.
Filed under: building safer futures | child exploitation | engage | schools | Schools and Education
Published on Tuesday 24 March 2026 at 4:09 pm
A new youth provision at Audley & Queen’s Park Children’s Centre is near completion – part of almost £10m of new investment in facilities for young people across the borough.
Filed under: Audley | Audley and Queens Park | Children and Young People | childrens centre | IMO | YIF | YIF funding
Published on Friday 20 March 2026 at 12:11 pm
More than £270,000 is set to be awarded to support vital local projects in the first round of the Darwen Community Fund, with the successful applicants now being revealed.
Published on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 4:30 pm
Star Academies is set to anchor a £45m landmark regeneration scheme in Blackburn town centre – part of the largest development of its kind in the Lancashire region.
Published on Tuesday 3 March 2026 at 11:49 am
The finishing touches are being made to Darwen’s brand new youth centre – part of almost £10m of new investment in facilities for young people across the borough.
Published on Friday 13 February 2026 at 5:09 pm
Since acquiring Jack’s Key Lodge in Darwen, the council along with the local community are making noticeable changes already.
Filed under: Councillor Jim Smith | councillor phil riley | Darwen | Jack's Key | Leader | tree planting
Published on Tuesday 10 February 2026 at 10:33 am
More children across Blackburn with Darwen are walking, wheeling and scooting to school thanks to the continued growth of the borough’s walk-to-school programme – ‘WOW’, run by charity Living Streets on behalf of the council.
Filed under: Blackburn | children | Councillor Julie Gunn | Councillor Quesir Mahmood | Darwen | Living Streets | School | walking | Walking to school | WOW | young people
Published on Tuesday 6 January 2026 at 11:51 am
This month, BwD Leisure launches a brand-new fitness offer exclusively for 10–15-year-olds.
Following demand from parents to help keep their children and teenagers active in a safe and structured environment, Blackburn with Darwen borough council’s leisure team have designed a tailored programme specifically for those aged 10 and above, which will be available in all three leisure centres in the borough – Blackburn, Darwen and Witton, from Monday 12 January.
Published on Monday 8 December 2025 at 4:50 pm
In conjunction with the council’s highways team, the Local Council Roads Innovation Group and key council contractors have donated £3,050 to buy the borough’s care leavers a gift this Christmas.
Published on Tuesday 2 December 2025 at 11:21 am
A brand-new Darwen Community Fund has just launched offering local groups the opportunity to access support for projects that will help make a real difference to the town.
Published on Wednesday 5 November 2025 at 11:39 am
Darwen’s town centre, parks, open spaces, and young people could all benefit from almost £20m of new Government funding over the next 10 years.
Published on Friday 17 October 2025 at 11:05 am
Blackburn born author Christina Gabbitas has gained national recognition for her work on the serious issues of county lines exploitation and related knife crime.
Filed under: author | books | Christina Gabbitas | council officer | county lines | poetry | reading
Published on Friday 10 October 2025 at 12:12 pm
There’s an exciting line-up of free family-friendly events, creative workshops, live performances, and cultural experiences in Blackburn town centre this October half-term – offering something for everyone.
Published on Wednesday 8 October 2025 at 11:58 am
Not only have the students from St Luke & St Philip’s Primary School dramatically increased how much they walk to school, but they’ve also seen the environment outside their school transformed.
Filed under: Blackburn | children | council | Highways | Julie Gunn | Living Streets | Phil Riley | quesir mahmood | School | St Luke & St Philips | Walking to school
Published on Monday 6 October 2025 at 4:20 pm
Coming back to Blackburn for a second year is the International Solo Ice Dance Competitions, and they’re worth a watch.
Filed under: Blackburn | Blackburn Ice Arena | councillor phil riley | Ice Dancing | Ice Rink | Ice Skating | Leader | Planet Ice
Published on Friday 19 September 2025 at 12:54 pm
An artist’s impression has been revealed showing how an empty building could be transformed into a multi-million-pound post 16 Special Educational Needs centre in Blackburn town centre.
Published on Thursday 18 September 2025 at 10:50 am
Darwen Cricket Club has officially unveiled its impressive new all-weather facility – only the second of its kind in the whole country.
Published on Thursday 14 August 2025 at 3:38 pm
Primary school children in the borough have attended swimming lessons over 27,000 times in the past 12 months, with a huge focus given on water safety.
Filed under: Blackburn | children | Councillor Jim Smith | Councillor Julie Gunn | Darwen | leisure | Leisure centre | Pool | swimming | Swimming Lessons
Published on Thursday 24 July 2025 at 8:00 am
Some of the borough’s biggest and best businesses came together last week to celebrate the relaunch of The HIVE – part of a brand-new collaboration between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone.
Published on Wednesday 11 June 2025 at 10:31 am
In an operation conducted by the council’s Trading Standards team last week with support from the police, a large number of illegal goods were found.
Filed under: Blackburn | cigarettes | Citizens Advice | Councillor | Councillor Jim Smith | HMRC | illegal | Operation | Police | tobacco | trading standards | vapes
Published on Monday 9 June 2025 at 1:58 pm
A staggering 96,000 trips where children walked or wheeled all the way to school were recorded as part of a challenge over the spring term.
Filed under: School | walking | Walking to school
Published on Friday 23 May 2025 at 2:17 pm
The annual transitional meeting for early years providers and reception teachers, to assist with children’s crossover to school, took place on Monday.
Published on Thursday 15 May 2025 at 3:59 pm
Blackburn with Darwen Children’s Literature Festival will return to the borough for the 8th time next month.
Filed under: Children's literature festival | childrens lit fest | Christina Gabbitas
Published on Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 12:52 pm
Blackburn with Darwen Council Fostering Service, and the Foster with Us Recruitment Hub, have launched the start of Foster Care Fortnight with this year’s theme being ‘the power of relationships’.
Filed under: foster care | fostering | fosterwithus
Published on Monday 28 April 2025 at 4:04 pm
Calder Street play area is set to benefit from £28,000 for repairs and upgrades, which will include brand new equipment.
Filed under: Bastwell | Calder Street | Councillor Shaukat Hussain | Daisyfield | Park | Play Area | playground
Published on Thursday 3 April 2025 at 1:13 pm
A Council run short break service for children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and autism, has been praised for their ‘outstanding’ work by Ofsted.
Filed under: Apple Trees | OFSTED
Published on Wednesday 26 February 2025 at 4:50 pm
Following its launch over a year ago, a project that sees children walk or wheel to school has beaten ambitions set by the government.
Filed under: active travel | Living Streets | primary school | School | travel | Walking to school | WOW
Published on Wednesday 5 February 2025 at 5:48 pm
Lancashire’s new combined county authority (CCA) has officially come into being.
The Statutory Instrument which enabled the formation of the new body passed through the final legislative process in Parliament late last week and has now been formerly signed by Jim McMahon OBE MP, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution.
Published on Tuesday 4 February 2025 at 5:06 pm
A free family fun cyber day is taking place on Saturday, February 8, at Blackburn College with lots of cyber and digital activities in collaboration with local community groups IMO and OneVoice.
Filed under: Blackburn | Blackburn College | cyber fest
Published on Wednesday 22 January 2025 at 11:31 am
A brand-new Repair Space has just launched at The Making Rooms in Blackburn, aiming to tackle e-waste and promote digital inclusion.
Published on Friday 17 January 2025 at 11:32 am
A three-day recruitment event will be hosted by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackburn College in February 2025.
Filed under: careers | get job ready | Graduate education and Jobs | job fair | jobs
Published on Monday 13 January 2025 at 3:57 pm
Blackburn with Darwen’s Family Hubs are celebrating a funding boost after 18 months of transforming family support services since their opening in June 2023.
Filed under: Family Hub | Family Hubs
Published on Monday 13 January 2025 at 12:06 pm
Plans that could transform Blackburn’s already super successful Making Rooms into the leading makerspace in the whole of the UK have been revealed.
Published on Tuesday 24 December 2024 at 1:11 pm
Care Leavers Christmas gifts were distributed at their winter event after generous donations from local businesses and partner agencies.
Filed under: care leavers | Children and Young People | children in care | christmas care leavers
Published on Friday 20 December 2024 at 10:38 am
With the help of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group, key council contractors and other companies, almost £2,500 has been raised to give our care leavers a gift this Christmas.
Published on Friday 6 December 2024 at 3:56 pm
How about this for a fabulous Christmas surprise… Blackburn is set to get its own pop-up festive tavern, and it opens next week!
Published on Tuesday 26 November 2024 at 4:17 pm
The annual Celebration of Achievement for Children in our Care and Care Leavers took place at Ewood Park last week.
Published on Tuesday 26 November 2024 at 3:40 pm
A three-day recruitment event will be hosted by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackburn College in February 2025.
Filed under: Careers and jobs | employment | get job ready | jobs
Published on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 2:16 pm
The Young BwD Youth Foundation celebrated National Youth Work Week at Blackburn Youth Zone on Thursday 7th November.
Filed under: Children and Young People | Children's events | Young peoples Services | Youth Organisations | YPS
