Edward McCarthy Support Services

31/08/2026

Catherine had lots of Bank Holiday fun at the Lytham St Anne's Food And Drink Festival.

26/08/2026

Local church unveils stunning art installation for 150th anniversary

26/08/2026

💭 Myth: Budgeting means never enjoying anything.
✅ Fact: A good budget is about balance, not deprivation. It should help you cover your essential costs while still allowing room for the things that matter to you and bring you joy.

If you're finding it difficult to manage your money or create a realistic budget, we're here to help. Get in touch for free, confidential, and non-judgemental debt advice and support.

26/08/2026

What a fantastic day was had at our Summer Party 2026, thank you so much to everyone from our 3 Churches who volunteered on the day to help out with our many attractions. Approximately 550 visitors enjoyed a variety of fun and faith-related activities, and best of all, yet again, apart from the BBQ, it was all FREE !!

26/08/2026

WiganschurchesWednesday
St. Aidan, Billinge

St. Aidan is one of the great ‘Northern Saints’ and his Feast Day is 31st August, said to be the day on which he died in AD 651. As Bishop of Lindisfarne (Holy Island) in Northumberland, he chose to walk, refusing the king’s offer of a horse, as he set out to convert the surrounding area to Christianity. Together with other Northern Saints such as St. Hilda and St. Oswald, he is depicted in the beautiful east window in one of our local churches, All Saints in Hindley.

But he is best known to us as the Patron Saint of the lovely church in Billinge. We read that a chapel at Billinge was first built during the reign of Henry 8th in 1534 as, ‘None but the strongest could regularly travel the four or five miles to Wigan for Divine Service.' At that time the parish of All Saints in Wigan covered a vast area and people were expected to attend the Parish Church every Sunday. The chapel was paid for largely by the inhabitants themselves with help from ‘Gentylmen and Yeoman and their well disposed neighbours.’

Once the chapel opened the parishioners paid for ‘one priest at their own proper cost and charges to say and sing Mass, Matins and other Divine Services and to minister the Sacraments.’ The congregation numbered about 200.

When the Protestant King Edward 6th succeeded his father in 1547, perhaps even here in staunchly Roman Catholic Lancashire there were alterations to church services with a simpler Lord’s Supper replacing the Mass. Some local people, though, were solidly behind Edward’s religious reforms. After the Roman Catholic Mary became queen following Edward’s untimely death and reinstated the Mass, a ‘turbulent and militant’ Protestant named James Wynstandley of Wynstandley with 20 others broke into the chapel and stole everything that was worth stealing including the chalice and patten, removed the seats, took the glass out of the windows, stopping them up with boughs of trees and turned the place into a barn filling it with his corn and hay. The barn became a chapel again in the reign of Elizabeth 1st and the present beautiful church was built in 1718.

One Victorian historian of Wigan confidently states that St. Aidan himself visited Wigan. He does not however say where he got his information from. The source of most of the information included in this post is from a very well known and reliable historian. Revd. William Wickham, one time vicar of St. Andrew's in Springfield, presented his paper ‘Some Notes on Billinge’ to the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire’ in 1909 and to him we are once again very grateful.

Read more about St. Aidan's church on our website
https://whobuiltwiganschurches.co.uk/churches/st-aidans-billinge/

26/08/2026

🕺✨ 70’s NIGHT! ✨🕺

🎶💃🕺Get ready to step back in time for a fantastic evening of 70s music, dancing, fun and a quiz! 🎶💃🕺

📅 Saturday 5th September
⏰ 7:00pm
📍 St Thomas Church Centre, Church Lane, Lydiate

🎟️ Tickets:
Adults £10 | Children £5
🍽️ Refreshments included
🥤 Please bring your own liquid refreshments

📞 For tickets, contact:
Val – 07745 844547
Anne – 07949 288405

🌟 Everyone welcome! 🌟
👗 Dress code: 70s – optional, but why not get into the spirit?!

🎵🪩Dig out those flares, dust off your dancing shoes and come along for a brilliant night of nostalgia and fun! 🎵🪩

We can’t wait to see you there!

24/08/2026

Interesting visit to St David's, Childwall. Lots going on and plans for the future.

24/08/2026

All set up to go at the 0600 Running Club party in the park.
On from 1:00-4:00 pm today with some fab local stalls and businesses.

Come and say hello!

We've got details of who we are, what we do, and our anniversary celebrations, as well as homemade cake, jams and chutneys :)

Thanks to all of those throughout the afternoon who will be a presence on the stall, and thanks to everyone who baked or made things to sell at it.

24/08/2026