Inspire Middleton

be inspired... to try something different

What are we about

We are a local charity helping to inspire our community and make Middleton a better place to live, work and visit.

Our passion is… to inspire, to promote, and to participate. We believe that local people need to be involved in shaping their future, and many local folk have a great deal to contribute. We want to give opportunities and support for this to happen.

The focus of our work

Is inspiring people, places and organisations.

We are a local charity set up to promote community development. We do this by helping others to improve their lives and life situations, through encouragement and support to make the best of who they are.

This means that we inspire and encourage them to get involved and participate in making a difference for the benefit of the town and all who live in it.

At the same time we actively reach out to those in need and those who are not able to help themselves so that they too can be given a chance to play a fuller role in the community.

  • Call Us:

    0161 643 1163

  • Email Us:

    hello@inspiremiddleton.org.uk

Some of our Recent

Achievements

28000
visits

to the Lighthouse Project from people seeking help, getting support, developing their skills, meeting people, or joining a social group
 (Jun 21 – Jul 2022)

2000
People

fed by Middleton Central Foodbank. 37.5 tonnes of emergency food given in crisis support last year
(Jul 21 -Jun 22)

2000
Pantry visits

Our Pantry members saving up to £1,294 p.a. on their annual food costs, keeping more money in the house for other bills and expenses
(Jul 21 -Jun 22)

150 +
People helped

and supported to tackle personal debt, with £772,000+ being written off, relieved, or managed, through Lighthouse Money Advice support
(Jul 21 -Jun 22)

Our story

how we work
-
the plant pot model

Inspire Middleton is a local development charity doing good in our community. Most people know us more by the things that we do rather than being being familiar with our name. There is a reason for this which we can explain.

Inspire Middleton is a nurturing and inspiring organisation which works differently to a lot of other organisations. We are responsible for many different projects and we describe the way we work as the ‘hands under’, or ‘ plant pot model’.

It’s simple to explain, instead of being an umbrella organisation which has ‘hands over’ controlling everything, offering protection but limiting growth, we operate with ‘hands under’, still offering support and protection but without limiting growth or opportunity to maximise each projects potential. When you look at it this way it makes everything about what we do that much clearer to understand.

Plant pots are used to plant seeds, that are then cared for and nurtured so that they grow. Once grown everyone is focused upon the fruit of your labours. Rarely do people say “oh what a wonderful plant pot that is”, no, they are more likely to comment on how beautiful the flowers are, and so it is with us. Inspire Middleton is the plant pot that supports all the many community projects we grow.

Our job is to inspire, to plant, to nurture, to encourage, and to build…community. We accept that people will know us more by the work of our hands than by seeing our name in flashing lights, but this is okay, this is what we intended.

We just want to ‘inspire Middleton’.

some of The projects we run

Click to find out more information

Lighthouse logo 2018 MSC

Lighthouse Project

Our drop-in style community hub open to all offering an array of support facilities and different activities based in Middleton Shopping Centre.

Middleton Central Foodbank 2015 favicon 520px

Middleton Central Foodbank

This is our Foodbank which is part of the national Trussell Trust network set up to help and supporting people living in food poverty or crisis.

Lighthouse Money Advice

This is our face-to-face debt advice service helping people struggling with personal debts - it is an appointment service.

Lighthouse Pantry logo v6 twitter icon - smll

Lighthouse Pantry

Our membership food club supporting local families and helping them to reduce their food bills to keep more money in the household for other costs.

You don't have to do things on your own

Our projects have lots of local volunteers who give their time and skills to the vision of Inspire Middleton and to be a positive support to others.

some of our latest news...

a few testimonials

“ I have always used the facilities at the Lighthouse Project and found them absolutely brilliant. Once again they have helped me find employment after a long spell of injury. I will still continue to come to the Lighthouse Project to seek help and info on a regular basis.

Well done all the staff and volunteers – Cheers!

Mike S
Visitor
“The Lighthouse Project is a big help to a lot of people. They have helped me with my CV on a numerous times, and also recently Carl was a great help to my husband when he was preparing a presentation for work. There are a lot of people who would be lost without this place." Thanks everyone.
Nicola
Visitor
A Complete Inspiration

A Complete Inspiration

I was completely inspired and taken in by the project on my first visit.
After being warmly welcomed on arrival it was the busyness of the place that struck me. A hive of activity. People quietly getting on with life’s tasks, enjoying each other’s company and seeking out much needed and valued support. It just felt that everyone was welcome, everyone felt comfortable being there. I wondered where these people would go if this wasn’t here? Gill Wright – Northern Heart and Soul CIC in Wigan
A Complete Inspiration

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Add a Testimonial

A Complete Inspiration

A Complete Inspiration

I was completely inspired and taken in by the project on my first visit.
After being warmly welcomed on arrival it was the busyness of the place that struck me. A hive of activity. People quietly getting on with life’s tasks, enjoying each other’s company and seeking out much needed and valued support. It just felt that everyone was welcome, everyone felt comfortable being there. I wondered where these people would go if this wasn’t here? Gill Wright – Northern Heart and Soul CIC in Wigan
A Complete Inspiration

we inspire, we plant, we nurture, we encourage, we build .... community.