Thank you

With a gaggle of gazebos and a plethora of parasols and umbrellas we once again braved the elements on Bank Holiday Monday when we hosted our sixth annual garden party to raise awareness and funds for local support groups of Parkinson's UK.

Jean made more than 170 jars of jam, marmalade, lemon curd, chutney, relish and piccalilli and baked more than 25 different varieties of cakes and scones for family, friends and neighbours.

The local shop owners and market stall holders came up trumps yet again with their donations.

We generally approach just the small independent shops in the Firs Lane, Wigan Road, Manchester Road (Leigh and Astley) and Holden Road areas of the town and ask them if they would support us by donating one item off a list. As usual most of them donated more than one item.

The usual market stall holders donated their requested six eggs and our fantastic milkman came up trumps with eggs, milk and orange juice – couldn't have done it without them.

Considering we live in just an ordinary two-bedroom bungalow with an average garden we must have had almost 100 people supporting us in our efforts.

We raised more than £500 on the day and have given £250 to the Wigan Leigh and District support group, which meets at Kingsleigh Youth Centre on the fourth Wednesday of the month and the Bolton branch of Parkinson's UK.

Thank you once again kind and generous people of Leigh and the fantastic 'Clark clan' who we couldn't achieve half of what we do without their support.

Stephen and Jean Donagain