Chorley Together

Chorley Together is a boroughwide partnership that strengthens how the council and the voluntary sector work side by side to support residents. By investing in advice, training, and funding, the network has supported over 300 local groups in enhancing community resilience and celebrating volunteers who help Chorley.

Chorley Together was originally established in 2019 as a response to Covid-19, helping us identify vulnerable residents and establish a borough-wide support system during a time of greatest need. When the pandemic subsided, the network did not disappear. Instead, it naturally evolved, enabling us to maintain close collaboration with partners and to distribute grants so they could continue providing vital support within their communities. 

In 2024, the council reviewed how it supported the third sector, and we decided to strengthen and formalise our relationship with civil society partners so that, together, we could deliver more to residents and directly advance the council’s priority of creating healthy, safe, and engaged communities. Through consultations and discussions with our voluntary partners, we identified some of the barriers they faced, particularly in accessing advice, practical support, and opportunities to connect with one another. To make a meaningful difference, we invested in both funding and staff, and created a new role, the Voluntary and Community Sector Development Officer, to join our Community Partnerships team. This post sits alongside existing officers who provide training and signposting to support partners in submitting bids for large and medium-sized grants. Together, we agreed that the best way forward was to reinvigorate Chorley Together and utilise the network as the primary route for providing this support. 

Chorley Together volunteers attending their reward event