News from Bolton at Home

Here you'll find our most recent news articles, from important tenant updates and new housing developments, to new community initiatives and activities.

Back to the list

Bolton Family recognised by Responsible Business Awards

Bolton Family recognised by Responsible Business Awards

A group of more than 40 Bolton organisations that work together to improve the town and strengthen communities has been nominated for a highly-regarded business award.

The Bolton Family – made up of business, housing, regeneration and voluntary sector organisations – has been named a finalist in Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Awards 2019.

The group has been shortlisted for the Connected Places Award which recognises businesses working in partnership to address long-term social, economic and environmental needs.

The Bolton Family is made up of local businesses including Warburtons, Seddon, Barkers and Keogh Solicitors; organisations like Bolton Council, Bolton at Home and Greater Manchester mental health services; and charities and social enterprises including Urban Outreach, Bolton CVS, the Woodland Trust, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Octagon Theatre.

The work of the Bolton Family is estimated to have directly benefitted more than 10,000 people in Bolton with another 30,000 people experiencing the knock-on benefits.

Vanessa Barlow, chair of the board for Bolton Family, said: “The Bolton Family is all about organisations working together for the good of Bolton. By co-ordinating our efforts together, we can make a much bigger difference.

“This co-operation creates greater social value and supports the objectives of Bolton’s 2030 vision to have an active, connected and prosperous town. We’re very proud of the work we deliver by working together and it’s great to be recognised with this award nomination.

“We’d like to encourage more businesses to get involved in the Bolton Family, particularly by taking part in our Social Value challenge which has many ways they can help.”

Successful partnership initiatives delivered through the Bolton Family include:

Seddy Bears Picnic – Seddon hosts an event for guests identified by Urban Outreach from their BL Summer Lunches project, which provides free packed lunches for schoolchildren during the summer holidays. The event offers local families advice on healthy eating and companies such as Asda and Warburtons provide healthy goody bags.

Skills for Employment – Bolton Council helps to secure work experience placements for unemployed people over an eight-week period, with companies like Seddon and Keogh Solicitors offering them work opportunities.

Working Wardrobe – Bolton at Home supports unemployed people with employment mentoring and suitable clothing for interviews and starting work. Bolton Family members such as Barkers, Life-Scape and AFG Law offer opportunities to people who are ready to work.

Planting trees - members of the Bolton Family have supported the Woodland Trust in planting 28,000 trees on the moorlands of Bolton and will be doing more this autumn.

Other Bolton Family initiatives include regular food bank collections, Christmas hamper collections, buy local week, and the ‘bed every night’ scheme to help people in crisis to stay off the streets and have a warm, safe place to sleep.

Amanda Mackenzie, chief executive of Business in the Community, said: “Organisations which acknowledge their responsibility to society by evolving their business to be a sustainable one for the long-term should be recognised and celebrated. We are proud?of The Bolton Family who have been selected as a Responsible Business Awards 2019 finalist. Together, all the finalists are helping to make the UK the world leader in responsible business.”

The Responsible Business Awards are the UK’s longest-running and most prestigious awards championing responsible business in the UK and abroad. The winners will be announced at the Responsible Business Gala Dinner at the Royal Albert Hall on 9 July, in front of 1,200 business leaders.