Community laundrette to help families in Cheshire struggling and turning to 'doorstep loans'

Video report by ITV Granada Reports journalist Paul Crone.

A community laundrette is being opened in Cheshire to help families struggling financially and to stop them turning to 'doorstep loans'.

The charity Motherwell Cheshire has been given £40,000 of Lottery funding to provide free washing and drying facilities to families.

It will be called ‘Edna’s Laundrette’ after Edna Fletcher a volunteer at the charity for more than 30 years.

It will be based at the baby bank at New Images Youth and Community Centre on Nixon Drive in Winsford.

The charity hopes the facility will help local residents make new friends while using the washers and dryers free of charge twice a week.

Motherwell Cheshire founder Kate Blakemore said: "Everyone’s energy costs have shot up and as well as saving money for families, we hope to beat isolation and bring people together. 

“We are hugely grateful to the Lottery for making this a reality and to our other supporters such as AO.com which has provided washers and dryers.”

The funding will keep the washing machines spinning at Edna’s Laundrette for two years.

Local residents can also access drop-in support for a range of issues, including debt and money management, health and wellbeing, volunteering and employment.

"The launderette will also 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, who is 86, and a great grandmother said it was "an honour to have it named after me".

“New Images is such a happy place and the laundrette will allow it to support more people."