12
Looking forward...
Looking forward ... Alison is about to take a 3 months sab-
batical but don’t worry our work will continue!
Generation Re-United have a team of volunteers who will
continue to oversee and develop this burgeoning group.
In January Dramatic Action will start rehearsals for our
community performance on the 18th of March of a play
which will help us to consider Hate Crime and how it can
affect young people. This is being developed in partner-
ship with Dramatic Action another grassroots community
group.
When Alison returns more projects will develop so remember:
Each time a man (or woman) stands up for an ideal, or acts to
improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he
(she) sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other
from a million different centres of energy and daring, those
ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls
of oppression and resistance. Robert Kenney
We hope you feel this is an apt celebration of some
of the ways we have, and continue, to stand up for
the aims and ideals of the Building Bridges Project?
We can’t do anything without
you!
1
Building Bridges
Annual Report 2016
Working in partnership, and committed to
supporting community development in
Tonge Moor
In this annual report, we would like to celebrate all we
have achieved together this year , thank you!
We hope we can work with you in the future,
if this report inspires you to get involved please
contact Alison on :07908110121 or email her on :
2
Hi all,
How time has
flown, or so it
seems to me! It
seems impossible that Dave and I
have only been here for 18 months
as so much has happened!
As you can see in the photo
above, Dave and I have had fun
with our new granddaughter who
was born in July.
Reading through this annual
report you will see that we have,
and are continuing to develop our
Raising awareness of hate crime
project.
Whilst Tonge Lunch and leisure
had a great fun on their outing
recently.
Fusion are continuing with their
wonderful work and have
supported church to develop their
Christmas story bags.
Or as Mother Theresa said
“I alone cannot change the world,
but I can cast a stone across the
waters to create many ripples.”
We hope this report helps you to
value some of the ripples being
spread by volunteers within Tonge
Moor, and beyond Thank you
Alison Dalton
The aims of the Building
Bridges Project:
To foster mutual respect,
trust, support and kindness
between generations, faiths
and cultures.
To help develop Tonge
Children’s Centre into a hub
for the community.
By working with others, to
support other community
activities which address
needs in the area.
That (by 2020) everyone
in the local community will
feel that Church at the
Centre is available for them.
Contents
Tonge Lunch and Leisure 3
Celebrating The Changing Face Of
Our Community 4
Generation Re—United 5
Our Café Displays 6
Working with other organisations or
groups 7
Big Local 8
Our Christmas Story Bags 9
Church at the Centre Events 10
Finance- 11
Looking ahead 12
11
Our Finances
£1,713
£1,346
£363
£40
£826
£120
£840
Building Bridges Expenditure Jan - Nov 2016
Expenses
Council Tax
Water Rates
Web Subs
HateCrimeAwareness
Conference Fees
EM3
£41
£108
£22£92
£2,906
£350
Building Bridges Income Jan - Nov 2016
Contra
Raffles
Tombola
Donations
Grants
EM3
10
Church at The Centre Events
During 2016 Building Bridges has supported Church at the Centre to
coordinate a variety of events at the Children’s
Centre. The first was our successful 10th
birthday celebration. This was
a community event developed
in partnership with the
Children’s Centre to celebrate
the opening of the building and our partnership which
has made such a difference in the area. We had
great fun together with over 150 people from Tonge
Moor.
In September Alison, with the help of Daleen
our ministerial student, helped two Church
Members, Joan and Alan, renew their wedding
vows. What a wonderful celebration! It was
a privilege to be involved.
Then a few weeks ago Church at the Centre
hosted an Autumn or Harvest Tea when we
had a pie and pea supper and tested our memory as we answered
questions in our family quiz based on traditional fairy tales. Maybe
we’ll see you at Church at the Centre’s Advent Tea in early Decem-
ber?
In October Church at the Centre
coordinated a tour of the local primary
schools by the Bethany Choir as they
were visiting from Tanzania.
Look out for more events next year!
3
Tonge Lunch and Leisure
Age UK, Church at the Centre
and Tonge Children’s Centre
welcome 25-30 people each
week where the over 50’s to
exercise, eat a meal and play
together. Building Bridges is there
to support this great project when
required.
During 2016 we have welcomed
the children from Moorgate
Community Primary school,
heard about Bolton Carer’s
Support, celebrated the
Queen’s birthday visited Smithills Hall
and so
much
more!
Being part of Tonge Lunch
and Leisure is great, it gives
me company!
I love listening to the others
talking!
4
Celebrating the changing
face of our community!
During 2016 Building Bridges has developed our
project to raise awareness of hate crime and cele-
brate the changing face of our community.
In January we held a poster competition
with the support of our local primary
schools. Look out for the poster and
pop up display during Hate Crime
Awareness Week 2017!
In the summer we had a wonderful fun
event at St Andrew’s Methodist Church.
Look out for more events in 2017!
In the Autumn we coordinated the first
Tonge Community Faith Trail with Bolton
Interfaith Council and the support of the other churches in
the area. Perhaps you'll join us next year!
In January we are developing a drama in partnership with
Dramatic Action. We hope you’ll
come along to our community
performance on the 18th of
March 2017. Look out for the
publicity early in the new year!
Would come again, really fun-lots of activities
Seen things we wouldn’t have seen before
9
Our Christmas
Story Bags
Working with the members of Christine’s
Crafts, staff of the Chilldren’s Centre and
Church at The Centre, we have developed
our Christmas Story Bags project for
the children of Moorgate Primary
School. Members of Church at The
Centre and Christine’s Crafts have
knitted a total of eleven nativity sets, 36
gift lambs and bought 10 picture
books which tell the Christmas story.
Staff at the Children’s Centre and
members of Church at the Centre
have made bags for these travelling
nativity sets.
Two of the nativity sets are larger for
display in class. Whilst the smaller ones
come in two different styles. These
smaller ones are in the story bag, with a
leaflet to explain things, a story book to read and a knitted lamb
to keep. Each of the children in the year 3 classes at Moorgate
Primary School will be able to take one of the story bags home
to read and play with throughout Advent. Helping us all to
remember the traditional story at the heart of Christmas.
8
The Big Local Partnership is a group
of Tonge Moor residents, councillors
and workers who have come together to
develop projects for the benefit of the
Tonge Moor community. This work is
funded by an allocation of £1, 000, 000
to be distributed over 10 years.
After 3 years of consultation and
planning we have finally begun to deliver
some of these projects:
Brush Busters, an oral hygiene
project being delivered in local
schools and childcare settings.
The upgrading of sports
facilities—the MUGGA near
Connaught Square.
Community Chest awards for local groups.
Extra after school provision and
some mobile provision in the area.
We are just publicising our start up
grants - Tonge Dragon’s Den.
Our women’s group to develop a community parade
has just began meeting, look out for more information!
Tonge with the
Haulgh Big Local
Our Vision
“Tonge with The
Haulgh is a place
where people feel
good about them-
selves and their envi-
ronment,
know their neigh-
bours, meet their
friends,
are happy to raise
their children and
work together to
build a future and
enjoy their retire-
ment.”
Get in touch!
Get involved!
Contact us on:-
01204 329839
5
Generation Re—United
Precious Gems
During the summer we have developed a partnership
with two other grassroots community development
groups, Precious Gems and Bolton Community
Development Partnership. This has led to us launching a
new group this autumn, Generation Re—United.
This group meets at the Children’s Centre every
Monday, in term time, between 3,30-5.00pm. It offers
time and space for families, carers
and children to come together with
single adults over 50 to play board
games, have a go at different arts
and crafts.
In our first four weeks we have:
Made a wheatsheaf loaf for the
church’s Harvest festival, and
individual ones to take home
Made Remembrance poppies out
of plastic bottles for display in
ASDA (Blackburn Rd) and then Victoria square
Tried Circle Dance which was lead by volunteers
from a group in Farnworth
We hope to you come along too!
6
I love that I can pick up a book to read as I leave to
go home! It’s so handy!
During this year Building
Bridges has coordinated
the varied displays we in
the cabinets in the Centre’s
Community Café.
With thanks to one of the
members at Tonge Lunch
and Leisure we have al-
so developed our com-
munity bookshelf where
anyone can take a book
or bring a book for others
to read.
Our Community Café Displays
Moorgate Primary School
helps us think about Easter
and Spring time
Tonge Moor Primary School
help us think about summertime
Our Easter displayed which
developed throughout Lent.
Our 10th Birthday
Celebration display Raising Awareness of
Black History Month
Bolton Council of Mosques
helped us to understand more
about Ramadan
Moorgate Primary school
help us to remember the
fallen
Castle Hill
Primary
School help
us think
about
Autumn and
Harvest
7
Working with other
organisations and groups
The third aim of the Building Bridges project asks us to
support other groups as they develop community
activities. Members of the Building Bridges Management
Group achieve this through their work with local
churches, organisations and voluntary groups.
Some of the local groups our members are involved with
are:
Church at the Centre
Entwistle St Residents Association
Fusion
Tonge Lunch and Leisure
St Andrew’s Messy Church and other projects
St Augustine’s in various ways
Alison has represented us within various groups:
Ambition for Ageing
Big Local
Bolton Christian Cohesion
Bolton Community Development Partnership
Bolton Interfaith Council
Moorgate Community School Governing Board
Tonge Children’s Centre Advisory Board