Uniting People Through Understanding

Incorporating the Bridge Project

Home     About Us     News Archive     Events 2010     Bridge Project     Empowering Women     Faith Friends     Contact Us     Links     Site Map      
About Us
 
History
 
BBB is an interfaith organisation created after 2001 'serious disturbances' in Burnley to enchance awareness and understanding between different Faith Groups. The organisation advocates diversity and aims to promote social cohesion through interfaith activities. It was initiated through discussions between the Bishop of Burnley and other clergy and Muslim community representatives in the locality of the disturbances, specifically to assess the situation and explore ways in which to mitigate the existing, and prevent future, inter-community problems. Initial informal meetings eventually culimated in the formation of BBB as a registered charity in 2002. Since then it has become a Company Limited by Guarentee, incoportating the Bridge Project for young people, which was established at approximately the same time as BBB in a local parish church.
 
Context
 
BBB is situated in an area of Burnley in which 8-9% of the population is of Asian Heritage, mostly of the Islamic faith, and with a significantly young populatuion. Burnley's Muslim community is primarily concentrated in two wards, with BBB strategically based in an area where 8 mosques are all within a half mile radius. The project has offices in a Mosque in Burnley, and the Bridge Project is based in an Anglican Church in the same locality. A Lancaster University study has suggested that this is the first Mosque in the North West of England, possibly in the country, to facilitate a Christian-Muslim partnership, with non-Muslims having open access to its premises.
BBB has gained local and national recognition for successfully promoting social cohesion through inter-faith initiatives that effectively incoporate statutory authorities and volunatry agencies. The broad range of actives delivered are designed to create opportunities for people form different faith, cultural and socio-economic contexts to meet each other and nurture longstanding relationships.
 
Working in Partnership
 
BBB is represented on a number of statutory and voluntary committees including Burnley Community Network and the Local Strategic Partnership. In addition to its work developing bridges between communities, BBB has developed links with a variety of statutory bodies and other publicly-funded organisations, including; Building Schools for the Future; Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre; Burnley Borough Council; CVS; Lancashire Council of Mosques; Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service; Lancashire Police; Lancashire County Council Social Services; local Primary and Secondary Schools; and New Era Enterprises community support agency.
 
Summary
 
BBB is an example of a project that is working extensively to ensure effective interfaith interaction and communication within diverse communities.
 
(Source: Faith in England's Northwest, Northwest Development Agency)