Talkzone 30th anniversary

Talkzone service celebrates 30 years of helping young people in Lancashire

Talkzone, an anonymous talking service for children and young people across Lancashire, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this week.

Talkzone has been offering help and support to young people for three decades and has trained advisers on hand who can speak in confidence about any other concerns.

The free service is available to all young people between the ages of 12 to 19 years and up to 25-years-old for those with a disability. It can be accessed by telephone, email, text and web talk.

Talkzone is available from 2pm to 10pm every day - even including weekends, Bank Holidays and Christmas day.

To mark the landmark 30th anniversary, a special celebration event was held this week at The Zone in Burnley.

CC Cosima Towneley

County Councillor Cosima Towneley 

County Councillor Cosima Towneley, cabinet member for Children and Families, said: "Talkzone is an invaluable service and has been ever since it was launched by the County Council 30 years ago.

"So much in the world has changed since then and the service has evolved with time and technology.

"Young people can now reach out to us, in confidence, via whatever means is most comfortable for help, advice or just a chat.  

"Our staff are able to talk about anything from feeling low, relationships, finding work and training, to leaving home.  On a lighter note, we can also help you take forward projects and ideas by signposting to other opportunities and groups in the area.

"No issue is too small and our brilliant staff will always be happy to help.

"I'm incredibly proud to see this service mature and to see the professionalism, empathy and humour of our staff. The young people of Lancashire have friends indeed in time of need.”