Bolton has welcomed £500,000 of government funding to help save lives by sharing accurate and trustworthy information about COVID-19 with the community.
The council and its partners bid for the funding as part of the Community Champions scheme, aimed at the groups most at risk from the virus including older residents, disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Trusted community voices have a vital role to play in sharing important messages about COVID-19 and challenging dangerous misinformation.
The new funding will complement the excellent work already being done by Bolton Council, Bolton at Home, Bolton CVS, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and many others.
- Bolton’s Fund has awarded grants to community groups for COVID engagement
- Ongoing outreach such as Q&A sessions have been held on Bolton Hindu Radio
- The hospital has two new cultural liaison volunteers
The £500,000 will now be used to build and further develop Bolton’s network of community champions.
Data shows that for a variety of reasons, vital COVID-19 information is not reaching disabled people, young people and families, people with African or Caribbean heritage and the gypsy, traveller and Roma communities.
Working with Bolton CVS and Bolton at Home, new champions will have access to training from Bolton College to help produce tailored, compelling, visual and multi-language messages to their communities.
We know that people will listen if this vital lifesaving advice comes from recognised and trustworthy voices.
A key part of their role will be focused on mass testing and the COVID-19 vaccine. By sharing information and encouraging take-up, this work will actively help reduce the spread of infection and save lives.
This will go alongside wider COVID safety messages about the importance of staying at home and observing “hands, face, space” guidance.
Bolton Council Leader, Cllr David Greenhalgh, said:
“Accurate and trustworthy information about COVID-19 and the vaccine is an essential part of our response to this pandemic.
“There is already a great deal of work being done to make sure communities across Bolton have the advice they need about staying safe, testing and the vaccine.
“This funding is very welcome and will help save lives by keeping everyone in Bolton up to date and tackling harmful misinformation.”
Executive Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Cllr Nadim Muslim, said:
“Unfortunately, many of the communities which we find hardest to reach are also those at most risk from COVID-19.
“We know that people will listen if this vital lifesaving advice comes from recognised and trustworthy voices.
“This funding will help us build our existing network of community champions, equipping them with the valuable skills and experience to use now and in the future."