Councillor Chris Furlong presents Lighthouse Project with cheque for £625

Councillor Chris Furlong presents staff from the Lighthouse Project Middleton with a cheque for £625

The Lighthouse Project Middleton was presented with a cheque for £625 by Councillor Chris Furlong on Thursday (31 August).

Councillor Furlong said: “Whilst I was there, Karl Roach, the director of the Community Hub, was telling me the money will come in handy for them. Even though the amount of food that has been coming in for the foodbank they have has risen, the demand has surged so they could do with more food donations, if people have any.”

Earlier this year, the Middleton councillor took on three races to raise money for The Lighthouse Project Middleton, Springhill Hospice and Heywood Guides Senior Section. Each charity will receive just over £625 after the councillor managed to raise just shy of £1,900 in total, including Gift Aid.

In April, Councillor Furlong completed the Bolton 10k before taking on the Great Manchester Run in May. He knocked almost 32 minutes off last years’ time, setting his personal best at 53.04.

Two months later, Councillor Furlong took on the third and final race: his first half-marathon at Southport, which he completed in one hour 57 minutes and 22 seconds.

Over the last decade, Councillor Furlong has raised over £100,000 pounds for charities such as Help for Heroes, Sandon House, Parkinson UK, Cancer Research UK, PTA Groups, Macmillan Cancer Care, Christie Hospital and scout groups.

His fundraising efforts, which have ranged from fairs and coffee mornings to race nights and fashion shows, have also helped raise funds for local football teams, community centres, schools and churches.

In 2012, Councillor Furlong won an ‘Above and Beyond’ award at the Bibby Line Group for raising £25,000 in one year.