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DBBC

© 2015 DBBC

 

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Tracing Your Roots To Gallipoli

Remembering some of the Bolton men who lost their lives in the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915

DBBC

Sadly, DBBC ceased operations on June 2016.

DBBC - Diversity in Barrier-Breaking Communications - was set up as a truly barrier-breaking project by volunteers with a passion for learning and helping people reach their full potential.

It was the first organisation in the North West - and one of the first in the UK - to use radio broadcasting techniques to increase confidence, help students progress to further education or help them into the workplace and offer to enable people of all ages, all disabilities and all abilities to learn and work together.

DBBC trained over 2,600 students over 17 years. Our training was unique and has since been emulated by many schools and colleges.

DBBC gained national recognition in 2002 when it won two National Training Awards, followed by many local awards. In 2012 DBBC was given The Queen's Award for Voluntary service and our founder Dorothy Martland was awarded the MBE.

Being a small charity, attracting funds became more and more difficult in recent years and the advice from one of our sponsors was to look at the prospect of merging with a larger charity. Through most of 2015 discussions about a merger seemed to be progressing well. However, in late January 2016, the deal collapsed. 

Our trustees, who have always been totally supportive, therefore had no option but to close the charity when the final intake of students had completed their courses and been accredited.

Our Chairman and trustees would like to thank Anne Wilson and Dorothy and Alan Martland for their years of dedication and hard work and wish them a long and very happy retirement.

The other two members of staff, Martin Ellison and Jamie Blatchley, had both worked with us for over 10 years and we wish them well in their new careers. 

Over the years we have had many volunteers who have stayed on after completing their courses to assist new students until employment or further education followed. Again, a big thank you to you all and our very best wishes.

We must also mention two prominent figures who have supported us through all the years: Cllr Frank White, who has always been there for advice and suport since the very beginning and the actress Julie Hesmondhalgh who has made each of our Presentation Nights one to remember. The students who received their certificates from Julie will remember those special evenings for the rest of their lives.