On 9 July 2019 Barkers & Bolton Family won the Connected Places Award 2019, within the Responsible Business Awards, Business in the Community’s flagship annual celebration and recognition of responsible businesses.
Barkers and the Bolton Family demonstrated cross-sector working, bringing businesses together with other members of the community, including charities and the public sector, aligned to a long-term vision for Bolton. The initiative has led to an improved connection between local communities and businesses, developing stronger, cohesive communities. It is estimated that the scheme has directly benefited 10,000 individuals with a further 30,000 indirectly benefiting in specific areas of need. As an example, food poverty has been tackled through food bank drives, raising 1.5 tonnes of food per event as well as bespoke family gathering opportunities for families experiencing challenging times. This approach epitomises the spirit of the Connected Places Award, living and breathing what a place-based approach is all about in a committed, passionate and authentic way.
Speaking of the project, Barkers Managing Director said “For our business to take part in the Bolton Family, firstly we consider it as a privilege, because we see the benefit it delivers, but actually from a business perspective it makes so much sense too. It makes us different and interesting to our customers and it makes us compelling and sincere to our employees.”
Of the award, Warren continues: “We are thrilled to have won this award with our partners from the Bolton Family. It’s an honour to attend this event and have the opportunity not only to showcase how the organisations in Bolton came together to deliver social value, but also to be inspired by the work of others and empowered to do more.”
