BOLTON has been heralded as a national example of how churches and councils can work together to support communities in a post-covid world, in a report endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The report, to be unveiled today by Theos and the Free Churches Group entitled The Church and Social Cohesion: Connecting Communities and Serving People, will urge local councils to make better use of churches and their vast resources to help bring communities together instead of seeing them as a ‘danger to social cohesion’ which are only used in times of crisis.

The national report interviewed almost 400 people across 14 English local authorities including Bolton. It praises how the town’s churches, with the support of Bolton Christian Community Cohesion, have worked together alongside the council, police and other community groups to promote the Bolton 2030 Vision, an  example of how working together can ‘unleash significant positive energy’.

It also applauds the work of Bolton Interfaith Council, which has helped bring different faiths together through various events including the ‘passport for faith’ where schoolchildren could ask questions to members of different faiths as well as others including faith trails to visit religious buildings and community festivals.

Elizabeth Oldfield, director of Theos said: “Bolton is an inspiration to the rest of the country, showing how churches can work together, and across different faiths as well as with local services like the police and councils, to bring community cohesion, which will be more important than ever in a post-covid world.

"It is truly wonderful to see the incredible wide breadth of work that is taking place in Bolton.”

Keith Armstrong, project manager of Bolton Christian Community Cohesion, said: “We are thrilled to see that this report has recognised the our work done with other faith groups and Bolton Interfaith Council.

“It has made a great difference over many years in helping to bring the diverse Bolton community together, developing understanding and respect, and breaking down barriers.”

The report also highlights the importance of using church buildings for connecting communities when so many libraries, youth centres and pubs are closing.

Bolton was given as an example of the importance of church buildings to the wider community after non-church goers joined together to save Anglican church at St Chad’s, Tonge Fold in 2017.