We want you to tell us - I love Bolton because…
People are being invited to share why they love Bolton.
They are being asked to complete the following sentence: ‘I love Bolton because…’
It forms part of a campaign which aims to refresh Bolton’s brand identity and encourage a positive perception of the town.
The initial phase of the campaign is public engagement. Residents, visitors and workers across the entire Bolton borough are being encouraged to share what they love about the town and say why it is such a great place to live, work, study, visit and invest.
They will be able to do this in a number of ways, including filling out a simple online form at www.thisisbolton.org, as well as engaging through social media including Facebook (thisisboltonuk), Twitter and Instagram (@thisisboltonuk), using the hashtags #iloveboltonbecause and #thisisbolton.
Over the next few weeks you will start to see ballot boxes in locations across the borough into which you will be able to post completed paper forms.
Primary schools will also be urged to take part by answering the question and children will be encouraged to represent what they love about Bolton through drawings and creative writing.
This feedback will be used to inform the next steps to build a strong and celebrated Bolton identity, ‘This Is Bolton’, that will be recognised by not only residents, but those who live in other parts of the UK and across the world.
The campaign is being co-ordinated by the Big Up Bolton group, led by the Bolton Vision Partnership.
Key businesses and organisations already supporting the campaign include Market Place, the Octagon Theatre, the University of Bolton, Bolton College, Stateside Foods, Carrs Pasties, Bolton Council and The Bolton News, youth charity Xplode and Bolton Community and Voluntary Service.
Special Olympian Kiera Byland, who recently won three gold medals in cycling at the Abu Dhabi games, said she was proud to back the campaign.
“I love Bolton because ... it’s my town. I was born here, I’ve grown up here and I want to stay here in my adult life.
“We are lucky we have so much in our town, cinemas, shops, lovely places to eat.
“Bolton College which I attend have been extremely helpful and flexible when I need totrain and I’m competing,” she said.
Dave Singleton, head of the Vision Partnership, said: “We want local businesses and people to get behind this campaign.
“Bolton has so much to offer. We have beautiful countryside, friendly and welcoming people, a great location, outstanding businesses, a growing university group, the Octagon theatre, the world class museum and art gallery, a strong heritage and stunning architecture.
“We are proud to be a diverse and welcoming town.”
Dave added: “This first phase is all about engaging with people to find out what they love about living, working studying, visiting and investing in Bolton.
“We want them to share all the brilliant qualities of the entire borough, so we can be loud and proud about Bolton.
“Highlighting the positives is a great way to attract business and further investment and make people feel good about the place they live.
“We felt it was vital that we listened to what the people who live here love about Bolton, rather than us simply telling them and then that feedback will help to form the basis of the next step of the overall development of the Bolton brand.”
Tony Oakman, Chief Executive of Bolton Council, added: “We are delighted to be a major partner in this campaign to shout about how amazing Bolton is.
“As a council we have tackled head on the challenges that the town faces and our £1bn Masterplan is the centrepiece of our economic regeneration strategy.
“Amazing events like the Food and Drink Festival and Ironman UK have put us on the map as a superb visitor destination.
“We should celebrate all the wonderful things about Bolton and be excited should about the many plans now beginning to take shape which will change our borough for the better. The next few years will see great improvements for Bolton.
“Bolton Council will support this campaign wholeheartedly – we love Bolton!”