Motherwell Cheshire to open community laundrette in Winsford

Motherwell Cheshire is setting up 'Edna's Laundrette' at the New Images Youth and Community Centre in Nixon Drive after securing £40,000 of lottery funding.

Named after Winsford great-gran Edna Fletcher, who has volunteered at New Images for more than 30 years, the new laundrette will offer free washing and drying facilities for those in need.

Service users will have access to two free washes and dries a week, during which they can also socialise and make new friends.

Charity founder Kate Blackmore was thrilled to have secured the funds for the project, which is hoped to be up and running by the end of the year.

She said: "The aim is to bring the community together in a very simple way, as they wash their clothes

"Everyone’s energy costs have shot up and as well as saving money for families, we hope to beat isolation and bring people together."

While waiting for their laundry, people will also be able to access drop-in support to help them with things such as debt and money management as well as employment.

Left to right: Edna Fletcher and Kate with Scott Bennett of AO.com, which provided the washers and dryers (Image: Motherwell Cheshire)

Kate added: "Edna’s Laundrette is located within our Winsford baby bank at New Images and is fully inclusive which gives everyone in the community the opportunity to wash and dry their laundry.

“While they wait, they can socialise in a safe, warm space, have a hot drink and snack, access wi-fi chat with our volunteers and any drop-in support they may require such as debt and money management, health and wellbeing, volunteering and employment.

“Initially people can do two free washes and dries a week. The laundrette is set out to assist with the cost-of-living squeeze but also for people to use if they have no access to a machine because of financial hardship, to help people who may otherwise feel they have no choice but to get a ‘door-step loan’ to buy a washing machine.”

The laundrette's namesake, Edna, is thrilled with the project. The 86-year-old said: "New Images is such a happy place and the laundrette will allow it to support more people. It’s an honour to have it named after me."

Edna’s Laundrette is acting as a satellite hub for the charity’s distribution of baby items and period dignity boxes (Image: Motherwell Cheshire)

The funding, from the People’s Health Trust using money raised by Health Lottery North West, will keep the machines at Edna's Laundrette spinning for two years.

Kate is also grateful to the charity's supporters who have helped make the initiative a reality, including the Cheshire Community Foundation, Cheshire College South & West, St James’s Place Charitable Foundation, Storengy gas storage Northwich, and AO.com, which provided the washers and dryers.

Motherwell Cheshire's satellite hub at New Images also offers visitors free baby bundles of clothes and comfort packs, and sports bags containing sanitary needs and toiletries as part of its Period Dignity campaign.