’Local boy made good’ increases church fayre attendance

COATBRIDGE: Townhead Parish Church in Glasgow had an eight-fold increase in the number of people attending its annual Christmas Fayre last year, thanks to sponsorship from a local boy made good.

The event was sponsored by Mark Millar, the successful comic book writer who was brought up locally, and his wife Lucy; and led by creative team Karen MacDonald and Debbie Marcuccilli, both art teachers, accompanied by five elves in the shape of senior pupils from Belmont High School in Newton Mearns.

Accompanied by Police Scotland community officers, Santa, his elves and Tinker the horse, ensured that almost every resident in Townhead, Coatbridge, had an opportunity to witness the Festive Sleigh arriving on November 24. As a result, over 270 children came to see Santa at the fayre – up from 34 in 2017.

Many of the children had never set foot in the church, and there was an immediate boost in attendance with a few new kids coming along to Sunday School the next day.

Mark Millar was born in Coatbridge and brought up in the Townhead area. He has worked on many well-known comic series, including X-Men, Spiderman, Superman and Fantastic Four; and eight major films have been based on his work, including the Kingsman films, Fantastic Four and Captain America. He was made an MBE in 2013.

In 2017 his studio, Millarworld, which he runs with Lucy, was sold to the TV and film company Netflix for a nine-figure sum; and Mark and Lucy have used some of the proceeds to set up a foundation supporting the regeneration of Townhead.

As well as sponsoring the Christmas Fayre, they also helped fund the Christmas dinner for the local Friends of Townhead senior citizen group and paid for the Boys’ Brigade Spring Camp transport costs.

In addition, they sponsored an October Kids Club attended by more than 170 primary school children, and in mid December there was an Abba concert with meal for residents of Townhead with half of the proceeds going to Townhead Parish Church and the other half to St Bartholomew’s Roman Catholic Church, where the event was held.

They have also announced plans to build houses in the area, with profits put back into the community.

The minister of Coatbridge: Townhead, the Rev Ecilo Selemani, said after the Christmas Fayre: “We are truly blessed to have Mark and Lucy in our community. This is answered prayer. They have brought so much joy to so many people today, and throughout the last 12 months.

“I also want to thank the congregation and local groups who also worked tirelessly on the day. A great team effort with incredible results.”