Lighthouse Project

This week, 21st - 25th September 2026 marks our 400th week of being open, and of serving and supporting local families in need.

Since we opened, the Pantry we has supported over 1,000 different families, who have attended 29,200 times, across 1,090 different Pantry sessions. That is a lot of people struggling with their household bills, and a lot of food that we have had to find. Typically we have to source over 1,500 items a week in order to keep the shelves stocked. Ths comes from donations and direct purchases.

The Lighthouse Pantry is our membership based food club. It was set up in December 2018 to help local families and individuals reduce their weekly food costs, and keep more money in their household to cover other bills or needs.

The idea behind the Pantry is to help people to reduce their weekly food costs which then allows some of that money to be spent on other household bills, such as rent and utility costs. Currently members are receiving around £25+ retail value of food in their food parcels.

We are encouraged that we have been able to sustain the work nearly 8 years, standing with people experiencing food poverty, or food insecurity, and helping them to cover their weekly household costs, but it is equally sad that the situation for families in not improving, and that the cost of living crisis is deepening.

When we look ahead to what is coming during the next 12 months it doesn't look good, and we anticipate that even more families and individuals will be struggling to meet ever increasing bills.

Thank you to those individuals and organisations who have been supporting our food projects, including Comic Relief, and if you are able to stand with us, to help us to support even more people, we would appreciate this.

https://www.lighthouseproject.org.uk/2026/09/pantry-400th-week-of-supporting-families/

Do you care for (or know someone) who is living with dementia?

Are you looking for activities that they can attend, that are engaging and fun, designed to help them communicate and express themselves?

Our Music in Mind Dementia Music Cafe runs every week at the Lighthouse Project on Thursdays from 10.30am until 12 noon. Sessions are free to attend, and no musical experience is needed.

For more information about our sessions please contact Pam Semp or Cath Stott 0161 643 1163 or email [email protected]

We're back in Middleton tomorrow (Wednesday 9 September) for our monthly Drop-in.

Once again our friends at Lighthouse Project will be hosting us on the top floor of Middleton Shopping Centre from 10am until 12 noon.

Just pop in and see us - no appointment is needed.

Our team is here to help and support you - and the kettle will be on.

Our Middleton Drop ins take place on the second Wednesday of the month.

Discuss Middleton Middleton Shopping Centre Middleton Guardian

On Friday 28th August the walking group celebrated its 10th birthday! From small beginnings when we were based at the Cromer Mill, the group has grown from half a dozen participants to the size it is today (33 this week!). Volunteer Margaret White, supported later on by Peter and Anthony, has devised walks all over Middleton. You'll be surprised about what is on our doorstep! Soon after the group started, Dave (R.I.P) made a few sandwiches - and the post-walk butty, brew and cake are now an integral part, with Charlie taking over. Other members have become leaders and buddies, and some have used it as a springboard into paid employment. New friendships have developed, with many saying they are so grateful to get out and about in a safe environment and have a chat. Special thanks to Cheryl for making the cake. Here's to the next ten years!

If you are interested in joining the walking group, or want to find out more please contact the Lighthouse Project reception on 0161 643 1163 or email [email protected]

Are you looking for a way to improve your own wellbeing?
LivingWell are offering a free 3 week course around the 5 ways to wellbeing - give, take notice, connect, be active and keep learning. The course runs consecutively for 3 weeks from Wednesday 26th August from 1pm - 3pm. For more information and to book your place please call LivingWell on 01706 392210.

Huge thanks goes to our Lighthouse volunteer Jayne Bennion who organised an afternoon tea party in her garden to raise money for the Lighthouse Project, together with our weekly dementia cafe 'Music in Mind' sessions.

With the help and support of Mal Stockton, and Donna Grainger and family, they raised an incredible £1,700.00, which is absolutely amazing and reflects all of the hard work they put in to making this fundraising event so successful.

We woud also like to thank the many Middleton businesses that contributed to the event's success - The Hopwood Arms, The Albion Inn, The Crown, The Edgar Wood, The Summit, The Lancashire Fold, together with local supermarkets - we are always so grateful for your generosity.

Thank you to every single person that attended on the day to help make this such a successful event.

We had the pleasure of attending the presentation of the cheque for a whopping £708.95 🤩 money raised for the lighthouse project Hopwood. Who have been amazing hosts in all the fund raisers and who work tirelessly to support the community 👍

We were honoured to attend With the amazing NAVIGATOR RIDERS shout out to Zara who alongside a massive group of bikers have once again raised much needed funds for our Foodbank from their first ever bike show ( LEGENDS ) 😁

We would also like to send a special shout out to the sponsors of the show 👏

CASTLETON MOTORCYCLE

HIGGYS TATTOO PARLOUR

MT HEADS MCC

MOTLEY CROW MCC

A S DECORATORS

You have and continue to make a massive difference in our community with your support and we are overwhelmed with the love and kindness you have and continue to show through your hard work and dedication supporting a number of people and charities ❤️

Navigator riders we love you 🥰

Today was the Navigator bike show and fun day
Kids stalls, auto jumble, ice cream van, cakes, face painting, hair braiding
Mermaid in the Making
Cheeky sweets
Beatties Bakery
HM’s Resin & Wood Emporium
All Little faces
Even got R7JordsShoots taking a few pictures ❤️

Thank you for your support not only today raising funds for our Foodbank but for all you have done , Easter egg ride , Christmas toy appeal and so much more 🥰

We loved sharing today with you all and we appreciate all you do not just for us and our community but also for all your hard work supporting the other charities and making a massive difference to peoples lives 🤩❤️🤩

We would like to send a special post out of appreciation to a very special young person Jake Garner who has for the second time donated money from doing his very own charity car wash to raise funds for our Foodbank 👏

Jake who attends Middleton technology high school raised a whopping £60 which will go straight to our Foodbank so we can continue to buy food and support family’s and people in our community 😁

Jake we are so proud of you 👍

Jake you are an awesome young man 🙌

Legend ❤️🥰❤️🥰❤️

We all love a good celebration don't we, well yesterday we celebrated the 16th Birthday of the Lighthouse Project, reflecting on the journey we've been on since June 2010 when we first opened our doors in the Warwick Mill, with the heady ambitions to welcome and support people so 'they achieved...'

Well here we are in 2026 marking 16 years of community service, and hopefully building on our strengths and achivements for many more years to come.

Since we first opened our doors we have recorded over 450,000 visits through our doors, that's a lot of people needing help, and a lot of tea bags and loo roll!

We want to say 'thank you' to everyone who has supported us over the years, those who have donated, given food, or practical help, or who have volunteered for us helping to make it all happen. We couldn't have done it on our own, so we appreciate being part of an amazing community that wants to see positive change for our town.

And just to add a sense of nostalgia to the celebrations we have included a photo from our very first birthday celebration in the Warwick Mill. Enjoy.