Diamond way to give to charity

A Fylde couple celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary by donating £2,150 to charities close to their hearts.
Peter and Joan Allcock celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at the Clifton Arms Hotel and asked guests to donate money to charity.  They are pictured with Anne Loftus from Macmillan, assistant general manager Bernard Johnson from the Clifton Arms and dementia advisor for the Alzheimers Society Elaine Ravenhall.Peter and Joan Allcock celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at the Clifton Arms Hotel and asked guests to donate money to charity.  They are pictured with Anne Loftus from Macmillan, assistant general manager Bernard Johnson from the Clifton Arms and dementia advisor for the Alzheimers Society Elaine Ravenhall.
Peter and Joan Allcock celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at the Clifton Arms Hotel and asked guests to donate money to charity. They are pictured with Anne Loftus from Macmillan, assistant general manager Bernard Johnson from the Clifton Arms and dementia advisor for the Alzheimers Society Elaine Ravenhall.

Peter, 81, and Joan Allcock, 80, from Lytham, marked their milestone anniversary with a celebration at the Clifton Arms Hotel but asked guests to donate money to charity instead of bringing gifts.

The money raised was shared between Macmillan Cancer Support and the Alzheimer’s Society.

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Mrs Allcock said: “We have lost friends to cancer and Alzheimer’s. Everybody really supported the idea [of raising money].

“It was really good of them.

“The party was incredible.”

The couple first set eyes on each other in 1955 when they met at Waterloo Station for a blind date.

Mrs Allcock added: “It was bucketing down so we went to the pictures twice! We went into one cinema and then straight into another!”

The couple, who have two children, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, married at St Catherine’s Church at Barton Bridge, Eccles, on March 31, 1958.

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They lived in London and Eccles before moving to Bolton where they ran a chemical reactor services firm.

Mrs Allcock added: “Peter was a travelling engineer and then we set up our own business. He did the engineering side of it and I looked after the accounts.

“We decided to retire to St Annes in 2000 before moving to Lytham a few years later.”

And their secret to a long marriage?

Mrs Allcock added: “Peter says it’s because he worked away for 50 years!

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“It’s an old fashioned marriage, the children ensure you stick together.”

Sue Swire, community fund-raiser for the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘I am absolutely delighted that Peter and Joan Allcock very generously asked family and friends to make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society instead of giving them a gift for their diamond wedding anniversary this year.

“Not only have the made a fantastic donation, but they have also raised awareness which is also very important for people with dementia.

“The Alzheimer’s Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them.

“As a charity, we rely on the generosity of individuals.”

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And Lisa Martin, Macmillan fund-raising manager for West Lancashire, said: “Huge congratulations to Joan and Peter for achieving this prestigious milestone in their marriage.

“We are really grateful to them for thinking of Macmillian during their celebrations.

“The money they raised will be used to support people locally.”