Welcome to Bolton Christian Community Cohesion

The work of Bolton Christian Community Cohesion (BCCC) has 3 main strands:

Strand 1: Supporting Churches and Christian Organisations in Bolton and developing church unity.

Strand 2: Uniting Communities and Interfaith Work.

Strand 3: Co-ordinating and Supporting Workplace Chaplaincies (for more detail on the work included in this strand please see the Bolton Town Centre Chaplaincy (www.gmim.org.uk/bolton )  and Middlebrook Angels (www.gmim.org.uk/middlebrook ) sections of this GMIM website.

Strand 1 – we support Churches and Christian Organisations in Bolton and develop church unity by:

• promoting church/Christian organisations events, initiatives, courses and job vacancies etc  across Bolton via our fortnightly email bulletin (please contact Janet Lythgoe at admin@bolton.gmim.org.uk to subscribe to this bulletin), via social media channels, direct emails and on the weekly ‘Prayers for Bolton’ service on Bolton’s local community radio station 96.5 Bolton FM (please go to www.boltonfm.com/listenagain to listen to the most recent recording).

• working alongside the ‘Passion for Bolton’ town-wide church unity group to assist in organising forums/conferences/church leaders’ meetings/prayer meetings which allow for exchanging ideas for church engagement, support for church leaders and encourage prayer for our town (search ‘Passion for Bolton Conferences’ on You Tube to see examples of these).

• signposting churches/ Christian organisation leaders and congregation members etc to the relevant help and advice they may require by phone/email/personal meetings etc.

• supporting and promoting the work of ‘Passion for Bolton’ task and finish groups which aim to develop Bolton churches’ and Christian organisations’ support of the Bolton Community in the areas of Prayer; Caring for the Environment; Social Isolation; Tackling Poverty; Supporting Refugees and Asylum Seekers; Develeoping Christian Leaders; Getting People Active; and Supporting Children and Young People.

• encouraging Bolton churches and Christian Organisations to engage with Bolton Vision Partnership’s Bolton 2030 Vision in order to support and develop the Bolton community.

• producing and regularly updating our Bolton Church Directory, ‘Database of Services to the Bolton Community provided by churches and Christian organisations and ‘Signposting’ booklet of town-wide Christian and non- Christian services to the Community’ and sending these out via email every 4 months to all churches and Christian organsations in the Bolton borough.

• supporting the organisation and promotion of town-wide church unity events such as ‘Believe in Bolton’ and ‘Party in the Park’ by attending steering team meetings and helping to facilitate events.

• attending meetings of the Bolton SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) to offer advice and support.

• attending ‘Churches Together’ meetings to offer advice and support including Christians Together in Bolton Town Centre (the town centre Churches Together group) and the Churches Together in Horwich and Rivington.

  Strand 2 – we help unite communities and develop interfaith relationships by:

• working alongside the Bolton Hindu Forum, Bolton Council of Mosques, Bolton Interfaith Council, Bolton Wanderers in the Community and the Bolton Solidarity Community Association as part of the ‘Bolton Unity Project’ to organise events and initiatives which bring people together from different backgrounds within the Bolton Community. 

• working in close partnership with Bolton Interfaith Council and other faith groups to promote awareness and understanding in order to break down barriers and bring greater tolerance. eg organising Interfaith events, Faith Trails, peace prayer events at times of tragedy.

• attending community organisations’ meetings and events to offer advice and support including the Bolton Interfaith Council executive committee, Bolton CVS (community and Voluntary Service) forums and training, community groups’ AGMs  (Bolton Destitution Project, the Halliwell befriending Service, Bolton City of Sanctuary etc)

Bishop Chris Edmondson – Former Bishop of Bolton:

“We are pleased to endorse the work of the Bolton Christian Community Cohesion on behalf of the Bolton Church Leader’s Forum. Bolton is a place where people from all backgrounds are genuinely valued and accepted. These fundamental values lie at the heart of all the major faiths. God sees the good which dwells within all of us.”