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Bolton CDP

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

Table of content

Reference and administrative details
Chair’s statement: A Message of Growth and Gratitude
Our Mission, Vision, and Approach
Strategic Report: Project Highlights and Deep Impact Analysis
4.1. Young Leaders Program: Cultivating the Next Generation of Decision-Makers
4.2. Campaign for Active Citizenship: Changing the Face of Public Service
4.3. Youth Mentorship: Building Resilience and Hope
4.4. Creative Engagement through Arts and Sport: Wellbeing Beyond the Classroom
4.5. Grand Ma Cooking Project: Weaving Heritage, Bridging Generations
4.6. Community Food Support: A Dignified Safety Net and a Gateway to Opportunity
The Power of People: Volunteering and Partnerships
Social Value & Strategic Impact: Our Contribution to Bolton
Looking Forward: Our Vision for 2025-2026
Thank You: Our Supporters and Partners

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

1. Reference and administrative details Bolton Community Development Partnership

Working name : Bolton CDP

Registered Charity No : 1183206

Address: Bolton Methodist Mission,

Knowsley Street. Bolton.

Trustees: Tony Shepherd (Chairman)

Sukky Obodeyi James Hartnell

Director: Dr Oboh Achioyamen

Bank : Santander

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

2. Chairman Statement: A Message of Growth and Gratitude

This past year has been one of profound growth and quiet revolution for Bolton Community Development Partnership. We have moved beyond simply delivering services to nurturing genuine, community-led movements. We have deepened our commitment to our core belief: that the solutions to a community’s challenges already exist within that community. Our job is simply to help unlock that potential.

The economic climate has remained challenging, particularly for the ethnic minority families we serve, many of whom face systemic barriers to mainstream support. Yet, in the face of these challenges, we have witnessed extraordinary resilience, creativity, and leadership from the people of Bolton. From young people finding their voice through our mentorship schemes to grandmothers preserving cherished cultural heritage, this report tells the story of that strength.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend my deepest gratitude to our incredible team, our dedicated volunteers, and our visionary funders and partners. Your belief in our approach makes this work possible. Together, we are not just delivering projects; we are building a more equitable, prosperous, and connected Bolton for everyone.

Tony Shepherd

Chairman, Bolton CDP

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

3. Our Mission, Vision, and Approach :

At Bolton CDP, our mission is simple but ambitious: to build strong, sustainably secure, prosperous, and healthy communities. We envision a society where all community members can make a valuable contribution which benefits everyone.

We achieve this by focusing on developing the capacity of ethnic minority community members to:

I. Contribute positively to leadership at all levels of society.
II. Play active roles in entrepreneurship to develop the local economy.
III. Build confidence and access opportunities through volunteering .
IV. Promote health and wellbeing through awareness and advocacy.
V. Foster meaningful engagement with the wider community.

We achieve these objectives by:

I. supporting members of ethnic minority to setting up and developing community groups
II. Providing information, training, workshops, and advocacy
III. Collaboration and partnership

When planning activities Bolton CDP had considered charity commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Our Methodology:

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)

What truly sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) . We do not see communities through a deficit lens, focusing on what is lacking. Instead, we identify and mobilise the existing, often hidden, assets: the skills of a young person, the lived experience of an elder, the connections within a faith group, the passion of a volunteer.

This year, we have embedded ABCD principles deeper than ever before. Every project, from our food support to our leadership programmes, is designed to build on these strengths, ensuring our work is not just a temporary fix, but a catalyst for lasting, sustainable change led by the community itself.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

Utilising ABCD Principles to develop sustainable community led projects

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

What are community Asset?

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

4. : Project Highlights and Impact Analysis

This section provides a detailed look at our key projects over the period. For each, we outline our activities and, crucially, the deep social impact and strategic value they have generated.

4.1. Young Leaders Program (YLP): Cultivating the Next Generation of Decision-Makers

Recognising a gap in targeted support for young and aspiring community leaders, we launched and expanded our flagship Young Leaders Program . This initiative is designed to build a pipeline of confident, skilled, and connected leaders from Bolton's ethnic minority communities.

I. Activities:

a) Youth Circle: This is a safe-space gatherings where over 40 young Africans who came together regularly. These sessions blended social connection over light refreshments with structured wellbeing activities and peer-to-peer support. It became a lifeline for many, reducing the acute isolation felt by young Africans new to the area or navigating cultural barriers especially those who came in as refugees.
b) Leadership & Governance Workshops: We delivered practical workshops on topics such as "Understanding Board Governance," "Effective Public Speaking," and "community representation." These sessions demystified the structures of power and provided participants with the tools and confidence to engage with them.

II. Impact & Social Value:

a) Building a Supportive network of young and engaged leaders: This circle has evolved into a self-sustaining peer network. Members now organise social meetups independently, demonstrating the project's sustainability and its success in fostering genuine social capital.
b) Creating a Pathway to benefiting the community: This is our most tangible outcome. As a direct result of the programme:
Some of the participants are now actively leading on community projects that they could not do before due to lack of confidence.
c) Economic & Social Value: The social value of diverse leadership is immense. By ensuring that public bodies reflect the communities they serve, we contribute to more equitable decision-making, more effective public services, and a stronger, more cohesive local democracy. This reduces the long-term costs associated with disengagement and social fragmentation.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

4.2. Campaign for Active Citizenship: Changing the Face of Public Service

This strategic campaign directly addresses the under-representation of ethnic minorities in our public institutions, particularly the uniformed services (police, fire, NHS) and public boards.

I. Activities:
a) Targeted Workshops: We held specialised sessions demystifying the recruitment processes for roles in Greater Manchester Police, North West Ambulance Service, and local NHS Trusts. We focused on practical skills like application form writing and interview techniques, addressing the specific anxieties and barriers faced by applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

b) Mentoring and Advocacy: We provided one-to-one mentoring, connecting aspiring candidates with individuals already working within these services to provide insider knowledge and encouragement.

II. Impact & Social Value:

a) Building Institutional Trust: Representation matters. When public services reflect the community's diversity, trust and engagement increase. Our campaign is a direct investment in community cohesion.
b) Measurable Outcomes: We successfully supported over 15 individuals to apply for volunteer and paid positions within these services. While final recruitment numbers are at the discretion of the hiring bodies, the increase in applications from diverse candidates is a critical first step.
c) Creating Visible Role Models: Those who have successfully gained positions now serve as powerful, visible role models, returning to our workshops to inspire the next cohort. This creates a virtuous cycle of aspiration and achievement.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

4.3. Youth Mentorship and gambling/game addiction session: Building Resilience and Hope

Building on the success of our previous year's pilot, we significantly expanded this vital project, recognising the disproportionate impact of gambling-related harm on young people in our communities.

I. Activities:

a) Expanded School & Community Workshops: We delivered 5 interactive workshops in community centres across Bolton and Manchester, reaching over 200 young people. Using role-play, real-life stories, and open discussion, we explored the psychology of gambling addiction, its financial and emotional consequences, and how to access support.

II. Impact & Social Value:

a) Early Intervention & Prevention: By equipping young people with knowledge and critical thinking skills before harmful behaviours develop, this project acts as a powerful early intervention. The estimated long-term cost savings to public services (NHS mental health, debt advice, criminal justice) of preventing a single gambling addiction are significant.
b) Improved Wellbeing & Resilience: Participant feedback consistently highlighted an increased sense of belonging and improved self-worth. The combination of mentorship and shared meals created a powerful sense of community and reduced feelings of isolation.
c) Community Safety: The project provides a positive, structured activity, acting as a diversion from potential anti-social behaviour and contributing to a safer environment in Bolton and Manchester.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

4.4. Creative Engagement through Arts and Sport: Wellbeing Beyond the Classroom

Our long-standing partnership with Love World Church and The Redeemed of the Lord Ministries Bolton, continues to thrive, demonstrating the power of universal languages like arts and sport to engage young people, particularly those from BAME backgrounds.

I. Activities:

a) Youth Sports Activities: Weekly multi-sports sessions provided a constructive outlet for energy, teaching teamwork, discipline, and healthy competition.
b) Arts and Voice Training Workshops: Professional musicians led workshops where young people learned about key, diction, and tonality. Beyond the technical skills, these sessions explored the scientifically proven mental and emotional benefits of singing and creative expression.

II. Impact & Social Value:

a) Holistic Wellbeing: We measured a significant improvement in participants' selfreported mental and emotional health. Young people described feeling "happier," "more confident," and "more positive about the future." This directly contributes to our strategic goal of improving community wellbeing.
b) Skill Acquisition & Self-Esteem: Participants gained tangible skills, from sports techniques to vocal control. This mastery experience is a powerful boost to self-esteem and provides a positive sense of identity and accomplishment.
c) Positive Diversion: The project offers a consistent, safe, and positive alternative to negative influences, building social cohesion and contributing to community safety in the Halliwell area.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

4.5. Grand Ma Cooking Project: Weaving Heritage, Bridging Generations

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this project has become a beloved annual highlight, demonstrating the profound power of intergenerational connection and cultural preservation.

I. Activities:

a) Storytelling & Cooking Sessions: A series of "tester sessions" brought together young African women in Bolton with elder "Grand Mams." As they cooked cherished traditional dishes, the Grand Mams shared their personal stories of migration, adaptation, and resilience, and how these journeys had transformed their relationship with familiar foods.

II. Impact & Social Value:

a) Preserving Intangible Cultural Heritage: The project actively documents and transmits vital cultural knowledge—recipes, cooking techniques, and the powerful stories that give them meaning. This ensures this heritage is not lost but passed on to future generations.
b) Strengthening Intergenerational Bonds: The sessions broke down barriers and stereotypes, creating profound, heartfelt connections between young and old. Participants spoke of a new-found respect and understanding for the challenges and triumphs of their elders.
c) Combatting Loneliness & Enhancing Wellbeing: For the Grand Mams, the project provided a valued and respected role, directly combating social isolation and affirming their cultural knowledge and lived experience as a vital community asset.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

4.6. Community Food Support: A Dignified Safety Net and a Gateway to Opportunity

We continued our essential partnership with Love World Church Bolton to provide dignified food support to families and individuals in crisis.

I. Activities:
a) Regular Food Parcel Distribution: We provided regular emergency food parcels to over 120 households throughout the year. A key focus remains on reaching those with no recourse to public funds —a group often excluded from statutory support and particularly vulnerable to food poverty.

II. Impact & Social Value:

a) Immediate, Life-Sustaining Relief: The food bank provides an essential safety net, preventing families from reaching absolute crisis point and ensuring children and adults have access to adequate nutrition.
b) A Gateway, Not Just a Parcel: Critically, we view the food bank not as an endpoint, but as a gateway to our wider services . The trusting relationship built during food distribution allows us to sensitively signpost individuals to other Bolton CDP programmes, such as volunteering opportunities, wellbeing workshops, or our Young Leaders Program. This helps people move from a place of crisis towards one of stability, connection, and contribution.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

5. The Power of People: Volunteering and : Partnerships

The Power of People: Volunteering and Partnerships

Volunteering: This year, our work was powered by the dedication of over 120 volunteers . They contributed thousands of hours, from mentoring young people and cooking with Grand Mams to distributing food and helping with admin. They are not just helpers; they are the heart of our ABCD approach, embodying the community-led change we seek to create. Their contribution represents a significant social and economic value to Bolton.

Partnerships: We are deeply grateful for our diverse and growing network of partners. Your generous support and strategic collaboration allow us to extend our reach and deepen our impact. Together, we are reaching communities often described as "hard to reach" and demonstrating that collaboration is the key to sustainable change.

Our key partners this year included :

Bolton Council

Bolton CVS

University of Manchester

The National Lottery Community fund

Heritage lottery fund

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Ground Works

GMCVO

Barrow Trust

Garfield Trust

Love world Bolton (Christ Embassy Bolton)

New Covenant Church Bolton

The redeemed of the lord Ministry, Bolton.

Let’s Bloom together

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

6. Social Value & Strategic Impact: Our Contribution to Bolton

Beyond the individual project outcomes, Bolton CDP makes a strategic contribution to the priorities of Bolton and Greater Manchester. Our work delivers tangible social value by:

I. Reducing Demand on Public Services: Our early intervention work in gambling awareness and youth mental wellbeing helps prevent issues from escalating, reducing future pressure on the NHS, social services, and the criminal justice system.
II. Strengthening the Local Economy: By building confidence, leadership skills, and pathways to employment and governance, we are helping to create a more skilled and diverse local workforce and a more representative business and public sector leadership.
III. Building Social Cohesion and Resilience: Projects like the Ladies' Circle, the Grand Ma Cooking project, and our intergenerational work actively build bridges within and between communities, creating the social fabric necessary for a resilient and cohesive Bolton.
IV. Giving Voice to the Underrepresented: Our Campaign for Active Citizenship ensures that the voices and perspectives of ethnic minority communities are heard in the rooms where decisions are made, leading to fairer and more effective policies and services for everyone.

7. Looking Forward: Our Vision for 2026

As we look to the future, we are excited to build on this year's momentum. Our strategic priorities for the coming year are:

Formalise the Young Leaders Program: We will develop a structured, year-long curriculum for the YLP, incorporating accredited training modules and a formal mentorship matching programme.
Launch a Community Asset Mapping Initiative: We will dedicate resources to systematically identify and map the hidden skills, passions, and assets within our target communities, creating a "community gift catalogue" to further strengthen our ABCD approach.
Develop an Enterprise and Employment Hub: We will actively seek new partnerships and funding to launch a dedicated project supporting ethnic minority entrepreneurship and employment, providing tailored advice, mentoring, and access to networks.

Bolton CDP Annual Report 2025

8. Thank You: Our Supporters and Partners

Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported Bolton CDP this year. To our funders, for your vision and trust. To our partners, for your collaboration and shared commitment. To our volunteers, for your passion and tireless energy. And most of all, to the residents of Bolton, for your resilience, your strength, and your willingness to lead the way.

Together, we are building a community where everyone belongs, and everyone can thrive.

Dr Oboh Achioyamen

Director

Bolton Community Development Partnership

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 02 MAY 2025 l. Basis of Preparation of Financial Ststements The Financial statements are prepared under the historic cost convention and include the result5 of the Charitrfs operations which are described in the Trustee'5 Report and all of which are continuing. The financial statements have been ppared in accordance with the statement of recommended practice for Charity Accounts- a. Fixed assets retained for use by the organisation Include.. laptops purchased in 2024. These fixed assets are depreciated using the straight-line method of depreciation over a period of three years. b. Change in basis of accounting.. Grants Receivable Grants for immediate expenditure are accounted for when they become receivable. Grants received for spetific purposes are treated as restricted funds. Grant5 restricted to fvt accounting periods are deferred and recognised in those periods. 2. statement of Trustees Responsibilities The standard constttution of the Charity requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for eath financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affair5 and of the surplus or defictt forthe period. In preparing these financial statements the trustees are required to:_ selett suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently- make judgments that are reasonable and prudent: Prepare the financial ststements on a going concem basis The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with rea50nable accurary at any time the financial posttion of the Charty. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Charity acknowledges receipt of grants from: Peoples heatrth trust 2Z730 2. Big lottery 3. HLF 4. Grotjnd work5 5. Bolton CVS 2LYXYI.(K) 4S09.(K) 8W.00 15150

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT FOR FYE 02 MAY 2025 Basis of inde endent examinerf5 re ort.. My examination was carried out in accordance wlth the generdl directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a compari50n of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure5 in the account5, and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not prowde all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not expre55 an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Inde endent xaminerf tatemen In connection with myexamination, no matterhas come to my attention.. 111 Which gives me reasonable cause to belleve that in any material respect the requirements to keep accountlng records in accordance with sertion 41 of the Act- and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to complv with the accounting requirements of the Art have not been met,. or 121 To which. in my opinion, attention should be drawn In order to enable a proper understandin8 of the account5 to be reached. Ms. Efyse Bossogol Accountant AAT Let'5 Bloom Together Suite 20. 5th Floor St Jt7me5 5 House M6 5FW SALFORD 06. ol.

FINANCIAL REPORTS FYE 02 MAY 2025 BOLTON CDP INCOME 202025 £ Restricted Funds £ Lhrestrictsd Funds Totsl Funds 202412025 Total Funds 202312024 48,545.94 0.00 48.545.94 ants Donats'ons TOTAL IfaE I EXPENDITURE Rent and Rates INorksho Sessional Korkers VOnteerS, e Food Parcel Su ort YoLth ranre actimties Trainin and th'ls dewlo ment Insurance Consutsnc Itherheads TOTAL EXPENDITiE NET INCOMEIE)FENDmJRE 43,447.00 19,742.00 0.00 19,742.00 63.189.00 43,447.00 83,189.00 0.00 2,000.00 16,800 00 1,000.00 0.00 18,790.00 4,500 00 347.98 0.00 43,437.98 9.02 9,900.00 0.00 79D.00 1,800.00 4,500.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.000.00 18,990.00 752.00 9.900.00 2,000 00 17,590.00 2,800.00 4,500.00 18.790.00 4,500.00 347.98 2,000.00 62,427 98 761.02 9,900.00 2.000.00 11,764.00 3,620.00 3,500.00 9,500 00 3.300.00 347.98 4,500.00 48431.98 113.96 en5es ro TPANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS NEf AIOVEMENT IN FUNDS FOR YEA 9.02 2,024.83 2,033.85 752.00 234.19 986.19 761.02 2,259.02 3.020.04 113.96 2.259.02 2,372.98 TOTAL FUNDS AT START OF YEAR TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF VEAR

BAIANCE SHEET FYE 02 MAY 2025 BALANCE SHEET FYE 02 May 2025 2025 2024 Hxed Assets Tèn8ible Fixed Assets Total Tan8ible Fixed Assèts 1,546.20 1,546.20 446.20 446.20 Current Assets Cash at 8ank/Hand Other debtors Totsl Current A5s•ts 1,920.04 113.96 1,812.82 1,926.78 1.920.04 Ceditois due wlthln one year 446.20 0.00 Net Ass•t5 3.020.04 2,372.98 Funds of the Charlty Restricted Fund5 Unre5¢rlcted Funds 2,033.85 986.19 2.363.58 9.40 3,020.04 2,372.98 Approved by.. Prepared by: (CHh7ts4/V) .

OpenCharities

2025-05-02-accounts

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

Table of content

1. Reference and administrative details Bolton Community Development Partnership

Registered Charity No : 1183206

2. Chairman Statement: A Message of Growth and Gratitude

Tony Shepherd

3. Our Mission, Vision, and Approach :

Our Methodology:

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)

Utilising ABCD Principles to develop sustainable community led projects

What are community Asset?

4. : Project Highlights and Impact Analysis

4.1. Young Leaders Program (YLP): Cultivating the Next Generation of Decision-Makers

I. Activities:

II. Impact & Social Value:

4.2. Campaign for Active Citizenship: Changing the Face of Public Service

II. Impact & Social Value:

4.3. Youth Mentorship and gambling/game addiction session: Building Resilience and Hope

I. Activities:

II. Impact & Social Value:

4.4. Creative Engagement through Arts and Sport: Wellbeing Beyond the Classroom

I. Activities:

II.

Impact & Social Value:

4.5. Grand Ma Cooking Project: Weaving Heritage, Bridging Generations

I. Activities:

II. Impact & Social Value:

4.6. Community Food Support: A Dignified Safety Net and a Gateway to Opportunity

II.

Impact & Social Value:

5. The Power of People: Volunteering and : Partnerships

The Power of People: Volunteering and Partnerships

Our key partners this year included :

6. Social Value & Strategic Impact: Our Contribution to Bolton

7. Looking Forward: Our Vision for 2026

8. Thank You: Our Supporters and Partners

Dr Oboh Achioyamen