Cottam's sparkling winter wonderland raises more than £26,000 for charities

Four local charities are to share a massive £26,188 between them – money donated by families who visited the now famous Tipping family lights in Cottam and enjoyed yet more sparkle around the village.
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For the ninth consecutive year, the outside of the Valentines Meadow home of Mark and Nicola Tipping and their sons Sam, 15, Joe, 14, and 11-year-old Isaac was festooned in thousands

upon thousands of fairy lights and its garden transformed into a festive wonderland from the beginning of December through to Twelfth Night on January 5.

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While it was the main attraction, other homes followed its shining example with their occupants also trimming up outdoors as part of the ‘Let’s Make Cottam Sparkle’ campaign founded by

The Tipping family's annual Christmas light show in Cottam   Mark and Nicola Tipping with their sons Sam, Joe and IsaacThe Tipping family's annual Christmas light show in Cottam   Mark and Nicola Tipping with their sons Sam, Joe and Isaac
The Tipping family's annual Christmas light show in Cottam Mark and Nicola Tipping with their sons Sam, Joe and Isaac

primary school teacher Samantha Metcalf, who lives in the village with husband Gregg and children Oscar, five, and three-year-old Olive.

Samantha used the Cottam Community Facebook page and put up posters to encourage residents to light up their homes.

All money collected – including via the Tippings’ online giving page at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarkTipping2 – was then added to that raised via the Tippings’ garden wishing well

collection bucket to achieve the final total.

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The money will be split between Rosemere Cancer Foundation, Derian House Children’s Hospice, Preston Headway and the Jordan Grant 18 Memorial Fund (CRY – Cardiac Risk in the

Young).

Mark, whose lights over the years have now raised an amazing £107,596 for the four charities, said: “We would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to every single person who made

a donation and supported us in anyway.”

Mark, whose charity decorations have led the family to receive a British Citizenship Award at the House of Lords in 2016 and a Point of Light award at Downing Street in 2015, added: “And

a big thank you to all of our neighbours for your patience and understanding with traffic and parking issues..”

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Dan Hill, chief officer of Rosemere Cancer Foundation which works to bring cance treatments and services to patients across Lancashire and South Cumbria, said: “I would like to add my

sincere thanks to the Tipping family, Samantha and everyone in Cottam, who worked to make the village so special at Christmas, and anyone who visited and donated.

“The generosity and kindness of people never ceases to amaze me.”

Sarah Charnley, chairwoman of Headway Preston and Chorley, said: “I am so delighted that the Tipping’s Christmas lights have again included Headway Preston and Chorley to benefit

from their spectacular Christmas display.

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“The efforts that they go to each year are truly phenomenal. I think this year more than most we all appreciated more colour and sparkle.”

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