Middleton Shopping Centre grotto raises money for Lighthouse Project

Families visiting the Middleton Shopping Centre, donated a staggering £3,307.32 when they visited the Centre’s Grotto during the run up to Christmas – a 19% increase on 2018 when £2,790.08 was collected!

On Tuesday, 14 January, Marie Gribben, Manager of the Middleton Shopping Centre had pleasure in presenting a cheque to the Lighthouse Project team.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to all the Middleton families who visited our Santa and generously donated their cash,” says Marie. “Almost everyone we talked to was aware of the brilliant community work The Lighthouse Project carry out locally and were more than happy to play their part in supporting this charitable endeavour.”

The Lighthouse Project has been operating in the Town Centre for the last nine years and is a part of Inspire Middleton – a local charity.

More recently it moved into the Middleton Shopping Centre where it found a great space to develop the work and a willing partnership with the Centre to help the work grow.

Carl Roach, Development Manager for the charity says, “We are immensely grateful for all the support that the people of Middleton and Middleton Shopping Centre give to the Lighthouse; there are many people in the town who are struggling with the essentials of life, but through the support we receive from the community, we are able to put that to good use through the various projects, activities and services we offer to everyone who needs them.”

The vision of the Lighthouse Project is to provide a safe and welcoming environment where people can meet together, find support and access opportunities that are caring, social and educational. They have a passion for people, who are their focus, and for alleviating social hardship, exclusion, isolation, deprivation and inequalities.

The Lighthouse Project is a diverse and innovative community hub conveniently located where it is accessible right in the heart of the town. Using lots of volunteers it works at grassroots level and is designed to bring hope in disadvantaged and deprivation-stricken communities. They provide a wide variety of much needed free support services to those who would not normally have the opportunity or confidence to access.