Inspiring community project passes 100,000 visits milestone

Centre Manager Pam Semp (L) with volunteers, team members & visitors from the Lighthouse Project

The team, volunteers and visitors at the Lighthouse Project in Middleton celebrated this week as they passed a significant milestone in their 4½ year history.

Set up in June 2010 to welcome and support local people the drop-in style community centre helped 10 people in its first week, since then the range of activities and number of visits to the centre has just grown and grown making it a popular destination for many.

Last year alone we recorded 30,000 visits through the doors, and in the time since we opened we have probably served about 4,800 gallons of tea and coffee.

The Lighthouse Project helps people on a daily basis to get back on their feet by providing practical help, access to the internet, social groups and training which gives visitors hope and restores their confidence.

The group runs work club sessions several times a week and shows visitors how to use computers and the internet to look for work and apply for jobs.

Pam Semp, Centre Manager, said: “We are here for the benefit of Middleton people. We offer many social, leisure and craft activities for visitors to give them somewhere to go and something to do which helps deal with loneliness and isolation. Our knit and natter group and Wednesday with Friends sessions are a good example of this.

"At the Lighthouse Project we work with lots of other community groups and organisations, and along with our sister project Middleton Central Foodbank we are a lifeline for local residents. The team are very excited about breaking the 100,000 visit barrier and now look forward to supporting even more people in the years to come. Together we are stronger."

The Lighthouse Project is open Monday – Friday between 10am – 4pm, visitors are welcome, no referral is required.