NLTG raises vital funds for church at food festival

Accrington-based training provider North Lancs Training Group (NLTG) has raised £350 for St James’ Church on Cannon Street in Accrington following their activities at the recent Accrington Food and Drink Festival.

NLTG ran a Parisian-style Café Rene directly outside the church selling tea, coffee and a selection of pastries, with all proceeds going to the church. The café was open from 10am-12pm, ahead of a sketch including ‘Allo ‘Allo characters, which featured Gareth Lindsay, Managing Director at NLTG, and MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, Sara Britcliffe.

That performance was followed by a War Re-Enactment as part of the food festival’s D-Day Commemorations, with huge crowds drawn to the church and many kind donations made to the collection buckets available before and during the re-enactment.

Gareth Lindsay, managing director of NLTG, said: “We are delighted to present this cheque for the church funds, which was raised from the activities we carried out at the #AmazingAccrington Food Festival recently.

“We ran Café Rene with characters from ‘Allo ‘Allo and raised £350 which will go a little way towards making sure the church is upkept.”

Father David Arnold, area dean of Accrington, commented: “It is wonderful to receive this cheque.

“The congregation and wardens here will also be really pleased to receive this donation to help them in their work, both in maintaining the building and all that entails but also the community work which goes on here, the food bank and the support for those who are in need in this community here in Accrington. Thank you once again for such a generous donation.”

St James’ Church, which was built in 1546, is in urgent need of support and funds, with the church clocks not having operated for a couple of years and a badly damaged door. NLTG have continued their support by donating hygiene packs to the church for distribution to local people.

Further donations can be made to the church here.

You can learn more about NLTG and the opportunities they offer for people in the borough here: http://nltg.co.uk/