Where Bolton Community Kitchen will go following death of founder

Gareth Bradbury passed away on December 27 last year, aged 60.

Mr Bradbury was best-known in the borough for his work with Bolton Community Kitchen, which he founded a decade ago. The kitchen provides food, clothes and company to those who are homeless and living in hostels. 

Volunteers met at Bolton Rugby Club, where the organisation operates from, to discuss the way forward and to share memories of him. 

Gareth Bradbury (Image: Public)

Trustee, Mike Moloney, said: "He left behind is a huge legacy. He built a community, and we are part of that community. 

"The way people help and volunteer - this is the best group of volunteers we have ever had." 

Gareth's partner, Tracy McNulty, said: "We have got the best team. We are going to smash it. He wants us to do that." 

Mike added: "We want to do it, we have to do it, it is as simple as that."

With his daughter, Becca (Image: Public)

Tracy added: "We firmly believe if we don't make a go of it, he will haunt us. 

"I don't think there is anyone who comes in on a Wednesday who he hasn't helped in some way, shape or form." 

Gareth's daughter, Becca Smith, said: "Being a single parent, it was very unusual for the dad to get custody in the 90s. We were the three amigos. 

Gareth at the community kitchen (Image: Public)

"He fought for us and raised two girls, I was nine, my sister was five, he raised us on his own. 

"It was us against the world, he provided for us. He always tried to make sure we had the best life we could. 

"I would say he was a joker, the person who made everybody laugh. He could always turn a dark situation into a funny one, he was always able to cheer anybody up." 

Bolton Community Kitchen at the meeting in January (Image: Newsquest)

She added: "He marched for other people, supporting other people that were kicked out of council houses. 

"He marched to Parliament for the Bedroom Tax around 2013, he and I walked down holding a coffin symbolically someone he knew who killed themselves because of the tax." 

Bolton Community Kitchen meets at Bolton Rugby Club every Wednesday evening.