Boltonians are taking a stand against negative behaviour.

Whether it's flytipping, domestic or street violence, drug and alcohol violations, theft, bullying, homophobia or racism, all forms of anti-social behaviour are being challenged across the borough.

Residents want to make their neighbourhoods, town centres, parks and green spaces safe to live in and enjoy.

And now Live from Worktown, a Bolton-based arts and heritage organisatio, is looking to cast a spotlight to the unsung heroes who are doing their bit to improve the borough for the benefit of everyone.

The group is also working number of enthusiastic and motivated groups - for example the Friends of Longsight Park who volunteer their time to ensure the beautiful park is accessible and maintained for all and Transforming Lives who help people in recovery get their lives back on track through a range of activities.

The Bolton News: Photography competition by Live from Worktown. Pictures by Julia  Uttley

But, says Live from Worktown "we’re sure people in Bolton know of more" and want to celebrate the people behind such organisations in a photography exhibition that will include 20 photographs from a free-to-enter competition.

As well as competition winning photos, the Standing Together Photography Exhibition will bring together archive photographs from the esteemed local documentary and cultural archive photographer, Don Tonge, who has been photographing scenes of Bolton since the 1970s.

Photographs taken by Live from Worktown’s Julia Uttley of the local groups engaged in the Standing Together project will also be on display. Her pictures are included in this article.

And local people are be invited to submit photos to be included in the exhibition.

The Bolton News: Photography competition by Live from Worktown. Pictures by Julia  Uttley

Those wanting to enter can interpret the theme of Standing Together as broadly as they like, in colour or monochrome, and send their phone or digital camera photographs by midnight July 20, 2023

Twenty winning entries will be showcased at 10 the Gates Crompton Place, between September 11 – September 30, 2023.

Entries will be judged by Don Tonge,.

He said: “I am honoured to be asked to judge the Standing Together photo competition against antisocial behaviour in Bolton.

"We will look for images that raise awareness and highlight what is unacceptable in our town”

How to submit entries:

• You can submit up to three images to at: photos@livefromworktown.org by midnight July 20, 2023.

• Please send one email per photo, up to a maximum of three, with your photograph attached in the form of a jpeg file (if using a smart phone, your photo will be in the right format, just attach to the email).

• In the email, include the title of the shot, your name, the date and where the photo was taken plus up to 25 words explaining more about the

image.

• It will be assumed that for any entry received, the entrant owns the copyright and the images can be reproduced by Live from Worktown for exhibition and promotional purposes.

• Any replies back to you will be via the email you use to submit the photo.

• For more information and updates, please visit our facebook page: www.facebook.com/livefromworktown.

Dave Morgan of Live from Worktown said: “Standing Together is a community safety project funded through the Bolton Fund. Through its strands, including the Photography Exhibition, we hope to raise awareness of the way in which communities make things better when working together.”

For information about the participating organisations, please follow the links below:

• Live from Worktown - www.livefromworktown.org

• Bolton’s Fund - www.boltoncvs.org.uk