Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

08/09/2026

If you need somewhere to wander, pause, reflect, remember and simply spend a quiet moment surrounded by nature, you can visit the newly refurbished Butterfly Garden at Pleasington Cemetery. 🌿

Officially opened last Friday, we were honoured to welcome such a wonderful gathering of distinguished guests, supporters and community representatives, including MP Adnan Hussain, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Miss Cosima Towneley, Mayor Mahfooz Hussain, Leader of the Council Phil Riley, Executive Member Jim Casey, and many more, who came together to celebrate the opening and recognise the incredible work behind this special space.

And at the heart of the celebration were the people whose passion, kindness and dedication helped turn the vision into reality:

💜 Sarah from Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy
💜 Jon from Luke’s Legacy
💜 James from Stevenson Memorials
💜 And the dedicated team at the Cemetery

Together, their support has helped create a garden with spaces that hold real meaning. The Letters to Heaven postbox offers visitors somewhere to write and share messages and memories for loved ones, while the wooden sculptures add character and bring the garden to life.

New benches provide peaceful places to sit, take in the surroundings and enjoy the garden, while the dedicated baby memorial area offers a quiet space for families affected by baby loss to remember and honour their babies.

The garden has also been designed with nature in mind, with wildflowers, bat boxes, hedgehog houses and bug houses helping to create a welcoming environment for local wildlife. 🦔🦇🌼

There were smiles, stories and moments of reflection as we came together to celebrate what has been created.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed to and supported this project. Your generosity, compassion and commitment have helped create something truly special for our community.

We hope the Butterfly Garden continues to be a place of peace, comfort, remembrance, connection and hope for many years to come. 🦋🌿

07/09/2026

If you’ve been affected by su***de, join our Su***de Prevention Day vigil this Thursday 10 September.

Starting at 12.30pm outside Blackburn Town Hall, we’ll be hearing guest speakers from Samaritans and The Wish Centre, pausing for a 40 second silence to reflect and remember those lives that have been lost to su***de.

The vigil will be supported by stalls featuring organisations and services offering support to those seeking help for themselves, family or friends.

There’s still time to register for the walk from Darwen to Blackburn too.

You can find out more details on the day via the link below.

07/09/2026

New sculpture for Darwen - what do you think?

A striking new sculpture could become a gateway feature on Darwen's moors - and we want to know what you think.

Darwen-based artist Marjan Wouda has developed plans for the four-metre-high curlew sculpture, celebrating one of the moor’s most distinctive and increasingly threatened bird species.

The proposed artwork could be located beside the popular walking route from the Sunnyhurst Pub up towards Darwen’s iconic Jubilee Tower.

Marjan has spent the past year working with partners to explore the project’s environmental, technical and financial feasibility, and the proposed site has been identified following discussions with Natural England.

Now, before the project is progressed and any decisions are made, we want to hear from residents and everyone who loves and visits Darwen Moor 💚

👉 Please have your say by completing our short online survey - you'll find a link in the comments below.

And if you’d like to find out more about the proposal and chat to Marjan herself, there will be drop-in sessions at:

📍 Darwen Library – Weds, Sept 23, 1pm–3pm

📍 Darwen Market – Sat, Sept 26, 9.30am–11.30am

The consultation runs from Mon, Sept 7 to midnight on Mon, Oct 5.

So, what do you think... could Curlew Calling become a new landmark for Darwen Moor?

04/09/2026

✨ A warm welcome to the Council’s Class of 2026! ✨

This week, 23 new apprentices and graduates walked through the doors of Blackburn Town Hall to begin the next chapter of their careers with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

From finance to arboriculture, roadworks to Human Resources, these talented recruits will gain hands-on experience while helping deliver the hundreds of services our residents rely on every day.

As the programme celebrates its 15th year, it continues to create opportunities for local people to develop skills, gain qualifications and build rewarding careers right here in the borough.

Join us in wishing the Class of 2026 every success as they begin their exciting new journey! 👏

03/09/2026

The Butterfly Garden at Pleasington Cemetery has been created as a peaceful space for the whole community - a place to enjoy nature, take a moment, reflect and find comfort.

The garden includes Letters to Heaven, where visitors can write and share messages and memories for loved ones, alongside a dedicated baby memorial area, offering a quiet place for families affected by baby loss to remember and honour their babies.

We’re delighted to invite you to join us tomorrow, Friday 4 September at 2.30pm for the official opening of the newly refurbished Butterfly Garden at Pleasington Cemetery, made possible with the support of Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy, Luke’s Legacy and Stevenson Memorials.

📍 Pleasington Cemetery

Heading up the main drive to the Crematorium, the Butterfly Garden is on the left. Take the path just before the Serenity Memorial Area, where the blue remembrance tree is, through the woods and over the bridge. You’ll find the Butterfly Garden there. Parking is available throughout the Cemetery.

📅 Tomorrow – Friday 4 September 2026
🕝 2.30pm

Everyone is welcome to come along and help us mark the opening of this very special community space.

We hope to see you there. 🦋

03/09/2026

🌻Free flag and banner making workshops are taking place this Friday 4 September in the build up to the World Su***de Prevention Day walk taking place next Thursday 10 September from Darwen Market Square at 10am.

Turn up at The Bureau - Centre for the Arts, join in and create a flag or banner to be carried on the walk next week.

Further details in the post or scan the QR code.

***dePreventionDay

🖌️🏳️ Join us for a free Flag and Banner Making Workshop!

Help create banners and flags featuring messages of hope and support as part of World Su***de Prevention Week.

Drop in and get involved with: ✅ Printing ✅ Drawing ✅ Sewing

📅 Friday 4 September 🕥 10.30am to 12.30pm 🕜 1.30pm to 4.00pm

📍 The Bureau Centre for the Arts 5 Exchange Street, Blackburn, BB1 7JN

No experience needed, just come along and get creative.

***dePreventionWeek

03/09/2026

🏠 Meet Conor – one of our hardworking officers helping to make sure residents have a safe place to call home.

Connor works in our Housing Standards Team, which deals with around 700 complaints about housing conditions every year.

From damp and mould to heating problems and other serious hazards, the team works with residents and landlords to make sure privately rented homes are safe and suitable to live in.

And now, as a Council, we have new Government powers which mean we can take tougher action against rogue landlords – including issuing additional fines and acting more quickly when court action is needed.

Just recently, we prosecuted three Blackburn landlords after a family were left living with damp, mould and no heating.

Our Deputy Leader, Councillor Quesir Mahmood, said:

“These new powers mean the Council can crack down harder and faster on rogue landlords – issuing fines to those who ignore our warnings and, where needed, bring them before the courts more quickly.

“There’s no place for rogue landlords in Blackburn with Darwen.

“Our residents deserve somewhere safe to call home.”

The Housing Standards Team is here to support both residents and responsible landlords.

Our officers can inspect properties when complaints are made, advise tenants of their rights and help landlords meet their legal obligations.

👉 If you’re a tenant and have concerns about the condition of your home, or a landlord looking for advice, find out more about housing support and your rights on the Council’s website – we've dropped a link in the comments below.

📧 You can also contact our Housing Standards Team directly by emailing:

[email protected]

Thank you for everything you do Connor and the whole Housing Standards Team!

02/09/2026

It might feel like only yesterday they were walking through the primary school gates for the first time.

Now they’re getting ready for their next big chapter.

A new school. New subjects. More independence.

If your child is due to start secondary school in September 2027, applications are now open 📚

Find out more about secondary school admissions and apply by 31 October 2026 using the link in the comments.

02/09/2026

Next Thursday 10 September marks World Su***de Prevention Day. The day provides an opportunity to remember those whose lives have been lost to su***de, as well as raise awareness around the mental health and wellbeing help and support available. Join the walk, come down to the marketplace or pause for the vigil.

🥾Walk
📍Meet at Darwen Market Square
🕙10am

🟠 Marketplace
📍Outside Blackburn Town Hall
🕚11.30am – 2pm

🕯Vigil and Speeches
📍Outside Blackburn Town Hall
🕧12.30pm

👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 Everyone is welcome.

For more information and to register for the free walk visit the World Su***de Prevention Day webpage - link in the comments.

***dePreventionDay

02/09/2026

🚌 Have your say on proposed changes to local bus services

We’re asking residents across Blackburn with Darwen to have their say on some proposed changes to the local bus network in the borough.

The proposals include:
🚌 New bus routes
⏱️ More frequent services
🌅 Earlier starts and later finishes
🔗 Improved connections between routes

What do you think? We want to know which changes could make the biggest difference to your journeys.

Whether you use local buses regularly, occasionally, or would like to use them more, your views can help shape the proposals.

E-mail us with your feedback by 16 September 2026.