One of the best parts of being a prospective MP is that I have a great opportunity to meet up with so many wonderful people doing great work in and around Bolton. Urban Outreach organised a huge event at the Reebok Stadium to highlight some of the great work they do and to bring together so many different groups and individuals.
“bind up the broken hearted and set the captive free”, Isaiah 61:1, really captured the sense of what the event was about, the work of Urban Outreach and the other groups in attendance. Their work for the homeless, for families and those who have left prison makes a huge and often life changing difference to those who receive the support. Having the opportunity to discuss these issues with those involved in the work really helped to deepen my understanding.
Urban Outreach’s Profile and Perspectives event really gave me a positive sense of the huge amount of good that is being done in our society by volunteers, charities and other organisations. A big government approach to do this work would not be right but nor would it be right for us to just expect the voluntary and charitable sector to do everything. We need the right balance and this has to be continually worked at to ensure we have a healthy society.