New Venue for 2024
This year Lighthouse Marlow has a new home at
St Peter's Catholic School, Prospect Road, Marlow, SL7 2PJ Last year we welcomed more than 350 children and over 230 volunteers, of which 90 were under 18, for Lighthouse 2023
Registration for children Registration for children for Lighthouse Marlow 2024 will open on 4th May on the Sign Me Up website. When registration opens you will need to create an account with Sign Me Up before registering your children. Registration for helpers We would love to have you help us this year . You can find out more about what's involved on our pages here and sign up from 9th March onwards at Sign Me Up. Again, you will need to create an account to register and if you are under 16 a parent or guardian will have to register for you. If you volunteer to help for a minimum of 3 sessions then your child is guaranteed a place and we would be grateful if helpers could register their children at the same time as they register themselves to help. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee places for the siblings of helpers under the age of 18. Please think about making a donation to Lighthouse - we make no charge for children to attend but rely on donations from parents and others to keep offering this amazing experience. If you have any questions, please us at [email protected] or contact us via the contact form. |
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What is Lighthouse ?
Lighthouse is a holiday club for children run by Christians from local churches. We aim to introduce the children to God and explore the Bible and it's relevance in their own lives - all in a fun-filled week with sport, craft, performing arts and music.
Lighthouse began in Great Missenden and Prestwood in 1987 and now runs in 14 locations - Great Missenden, Thame, Princes Risborough, Burnham, Hazlemere, High Wycombe, Cressex, Beaconsfield, Mansfield, Bourne End ('Safe Harbour' designed for children with Special Educational Needs), Langley, Haddenham, Shelswell, Water Eaton and of course, Marlow!
Each Lighthouse is a separate charity run by local volunteers but supported by Lighthouse Central who provide support, materials and resources. For more information about Lighthouse Central, and if you are interested in setting up a Lighthouse in your area see their website
Whilst Lighthouse is staffed and run entirely by volunteers we do have costs involved in putting on this event, mainly hiring the marquees and tents we use for the week, insurance for everyone on site and materials for the activities the children take part in. We strive to keep these as low as possible and over the first 10 years our stated costs per child to run Lighthouse remained at £10 per day. With increasing numbers of children taking part and rising costs we have now had to revise that to £15 per day.. In order to keep running in the same way as we have we really do need every donation, no matter how small.
As well as donating online via the link above the ways you can donate are:
Parents and guardians of children attending Lighthouse Marlow can make a donation during the Lighthouse week, preferably in a Gift Aid envelope.
Cash /Cheque
Before Lighthouse: To donate before the event please send your cheque made payable to Lighthouse Marlow and completed gift aid form (if appropriate) to Lighthouse Central, Bridge House, Station Approach, Great Missenden HP16 9AZ
Click here for a Gift Aid Form Lighthouse Marlow Gift Aid Form
During Lighthouse: To donate during the event with a cheque or cash please pick up a Gift Aid envelope from Registration.
Bank Transfer
Bank transfers can be made directly to the following account:
Lighthouse Marlow, sort code 60-14-12, account number 53959671
Please quote the taxpayer's name as the reference.
Again, Gift Aid would help us greatly so please print, complete and return the declaration Lighthouse Marlow Gift Aid Form and send to Lighthouse Central, Bridge House, Station Approach, Great Missenden HP16 9AZ.
If you represent a local church
Please contact us by email to discuss how your church can support Marlow Lighthouse.
If you represent a local organisation or are an individual who would like to contribute
Marlow Lighthouse would welcome your donation and thank you for supporting us. Donations can made by cheque, cash or online transfer.
Legacies
Would you consider leaving something to Lighthouse in your will? It could still make a real difference to the growth of Lighthouse. If you are willing to do this you will need to include the registered charity number which is 1178062
Our stated mission remains that we will never charge for a child to attend Lighthouse and we will never exclude a child due to financial constraints, however, in order to keep Lighthouse running for as many children as possible we would ask you to please consider making a donation to Lighthouse of £15 for each day your child attends, or however much you feel you are able to give.
Lighthouse began in Great Missenden and Prestwood in 1987 and now runs in 14 locations - Great Missenden, Thame, Princes Risborough, Burnham, Hazlemere, High Wycombe, Cressex, Beaconsfield, Mansfield, Bourne End ('Safe Harbour' designed for children with Special Educational Needs), Langley, Haddenham, Shelswell, Water Eaton and of course, Marlow!
Each Lighthouse is a separate charity run by local volunteers but supported by Lighthouse Central who provide support, materials and resources. For more information about Lighthouse Central, and if you are interested in setting up a Lighthouse in your area see their website
Whilst Lighthouse is staffed and run entirely by volunteers we do have costs involved in putting on this event, mainly hiring the marquees and tents we use for the week, insurance for everyone on site and materials for the activities the children take part in. We strive to keep these as low as possible and over the first 10 years our stated costs per child to run Lighthouse remained at £10 per day. With increasing numbers of children taking part and rising costs we have now had to revise that to £15 per day.. In order to keep running in the same way as we have we really do need every donation, no matter how small.
As well as donating online via the link above the ways you can donate are:
Parents and guardians of children attending Lighthouse Marlow can make a donation during the Lighthouse week, preferably in a Gift Aid envelope.
Cash /Cheque
Before Lighthouse: To donate before the event please send your cheque made payable to Lighthouse Marlow and completed gift aid form (if appropriate) to Lighthouse Central, Bridge House, Station Approach, Great Missenden HP16 9AZ
Click here for a Gift Aid Form Lighthouse Marlow Gift Aid Form
During Lighthouse: To donate during the event with a cheque or cash please pick up a Gift Aid envelope from Registration.
Bank Transfer
Bank transfers can be made directly to the following account:
Lighthouse Marlow, sort code 60-14-12, account number 53959671
Please quote the taxpayer's name as the reference.
Again, Gift Aid would help us greatly so please print, complete and return the declaration Lighthouse Marlow Gift Aid Form and send to Lighthouse Central, Bridge House, Station Approach, Great Missenden HP16 9AZ.
If you represent a local church
Please contact us by email to discuss how your church can support Marlow Lighthouse.
If you represent a local organisation or are an individual who would like to contribute
Marlow Lighthouse would welcome your donation and thank you for supporting us. Donations can made by cheque, cash or online transfer.
Legacies
Would you consider leaving something to Lighthouse in your will? It could still make a real difference to the growth of Lighthouse. If you are willing to do this you will need to include the registered charity number which is 1178062
Our stated mission remains that we will never charge for a child to attend Lighthouse and we will never exclude a child due to financial constraints, however, in order to keep Lighthouse running for as many children as possible we would ask you to please consider making a donation to Lighthouse of £15 for each day your child attends, or however much you feel you are able to give.
Children's registration policy
For the past several years Marlow Lighthouse has been very oversubscribed.
All places at Lighthouse are at the discretion of the Chairman and Executive team and will be assessed according to capacity.
Children of helpers volunteering for Lighthouse will be guaranteed a place and so some age groups may have a number of children registered even before general registration opens. Priority is then given to children who live or attend school in the SL7 postcode area and all applications are then taken in date order.
All places at Lighthouse are at the discretion of the Chairman and Executive team and will be assessed according to capacity.
Children of helpers volunteering for Lighthouse will be guaranteed a place and so some age groups may have a number of children registered even before general registration opens. Priority is then given to children who live or attend school in the SL7 postcode area and all applications are then taken in date order.
How does it all happen ?
It takes around 300 volunteers to put on Lighthouse - and there is almost certainly something you can do to help. In 2023 we welcomed over 350 children on site, and still had to turn some away. We are limited mainly by the numbers of helpers we can attract so think about signing up for 2024 and please tell your friends about us too.
Lighthouse is a great place for children and volunteers alike to make new friends and meet up with old ones. Many people describe Lighthouse as 'the best week of the summer holidays'
We are really proud of our young volunteers, every year we have around 100 young people aged between 12 and 18 (school year 7 and above) who give up a week of their holiday to come and help run Lighthouse Marlow
Lighthouse Marlow is a registered charity (No. 1178062) and is run entirely by unpaid volunteers from the local churches and community, many of whom take time off from work to volunteer for the week.
Why not come and join us this year?