When Jodi McFarlane went out for a quiet dinner with her partner Ben Mason she had no idea her evening would end up in Summerhill Glen sheltering from the pouring rain under a child’s umbrella in the company of illuminated elves with the prospect of married life ahead of her.
All this was thanks to a little help from Douglas Borough Council’s electrical services section and Councillor Stephen Pitts.
Jodi, 27, hadn’t planned for the ingenuity of her partner Ben, 28 who had contacted Councillor Pitts to see if he could arrange for a message to be projected on a section of wall in the glen that read: Jodi Will You Marry Me?
Ben said: ‘I contacted Councillor Pitts just before the Christmas lights switching on ceremony to see if he could arrange the surprise. The glen looks great with the new lights, now. We love the place - Jodi’s mum used to take her there when she was little - and so does our daughter, Mylah, who’s two. The glen’s a little bit of hidden Douglas and I thought it would be a romantic place to ask Jodi to marry me.’
The couple went out for dinner and Jodi thought they’d be heading straight home afterwards, but Ben had other ideas…and a ring in his pocket.
‘After dinner I drove past the glen and suggested we went for a walk there before going home. Jodi wasn’t keen as it was absolutely pouring down with rain, but fortunately Mylah’s little umbrella was in the car so I managed to persuade her, reached the section where my message was waiting - and a photographer – went down on one knee and proposed and Jodi said “yes”. So we came home an engaged couple.’
Councillor Stephen Pitts said: ‘Ben, Jodi and Mylah are a lovely family so I was delighted to be able help Ben make his marriage proposal. I’m also delighted that he chose Summerhill Glen. Since we installed the new decorative lighting we’ve had tremendously positive feedback and people are, once again, discovering this hidden gem in Douglas. It clearly makes for a memorable setting in which to propose, and I wish Ben and Jodi every happiness together.’
Ben added: ‘A big thank you goes to Councillor Pitts, Donal Cullen and his electrical services team at the Council, Brian Mitchell the photographer and to Will Costain who did the slide for the projection for making everything possible…and to Jody for agreeing to marry me. She’s a brilliant mum, is training to be an accountant and does a lot for me as I’m out most of the time, installing windows and doing construction work. All of her best mates have been getting married recently and she’s always been the bridesmaid.’
But that’s all set to change. The couple, who have been together seven years and live in Cronk-y-Berry, are looking at getting married in two to three years’ time…most likely in a more conventional setting than where the proposal took place.
