At Reach, we’re all about people. We started with a simple idea, what if neighbours truly looked out for one another? That heart still drives everything we do today. Whether it’s popping in for a cuppa with someone who’s lonely, walking alongside a struggling family, or providing the essentials when times are tough, we’re here to show love in action. Rooted in Christian values, we believe no one should feel forgotten. We’re building a community where everyone feels seen, supported, and valued.
About Reach Family Project
Our vision
That no one will feel excluded from society, lonely or forgotten but instead know that they are valued.
Our mission
To promote social inclusion and improve the quality of life of both children and families and those who are elderly and disabled in the Bolton area.
Our values
‘Loving others, giving out’ to always show love and care for those we support, always going the extra mile. To be reactive to the changing needs of the communities we work in.
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Our Core Team .
Angela Barry
Chief Executive Officer
Angela leads Reach with lived experience, compassion, and a deep commitment to community, but also with clear strategy and strong foundations. Inspired by her own journey of loss and care, she founded Reach Befriending in 2019 to tackle loneliness among older people. Alongside her passion and vision, Angela brings structure and direction to the charity, ensuring that heart and governance go hand in hand. She continues to shape the future of Reach with purpose and conviction, driven by the belief that no one should be forgotten.
Michelle
Chief Operations Officer
Michelle, brings clarity, and careful attention to detail in everything she does. Highly organised and thoughtful in her approach, she ensures that our work is carried out well and to the best of our ability. Michelle is deeply committed to doing things properly, creating strong foundations, clear processes, and steady oversight so that the families and older people we support receive consistent, high-quality care.
Helen
Project Manager
Helen joined the team as Project Manager after volunteering with Reach from the very beginning. She understands the heart of the charity because she helped build it. Gifted at leading both people and projects, Helen brings steady leadership, encouragement, and momentum to everything she oversees. She has a huge heart to help others and a genuine drive to make a lasting difference in the lives of the people we serve.
Our Story
Reach was never a strategy. It was never a five year plan.
It was personal.
In 2019, I lost my Grandad, a man I had the privilege of caring for in his final years. Walking alongside my Nan after he passed opened my eyes in a way nothing else could. I saw the loneliness. The silence. The way whole lives of contribution can suddenly feel invisible.
I couldn’t unsee it.
What started as conversations became something much bigger. In February 2020, Reach Befriending officially began with one volunteer, my Nan, and one referral. That was it. No big launch. No funding. Just a simple belief that neighbours should look after neighbours.
Since then, we’ve supported 100’s of older people through one to one befriending. Our volunteers show up every week, not to “deliver a service,” but to build real relationships. We’ve delivered hot meals, sat by hospital beds, listened to stories repeated three times over, and stood quietly with people in grief.
Local agencies now refer to us regularly because they know what we do isn’t rushed. It isn’t box ticking. It’s consistent, relational, and rooted in hope.
But Reach has always grown from real life.
Alongside leading the charity, I’m mum to three incredible boys, all neurodiverse, all navigating health conditions and additional needs. Our home life includes hospital appointments, medical routines, school meetings, anxiety, advocacy, exhaustion… and a huge amount of love.
There have been seasons where I’ve sat late at night feeling completely overwhelmed. The paperwork. The waiting lists. The constant fighting to be heard. The isolation that comes with parenting children who experience the world differently.
And just like with my grandparents, I couldn’t ignore what I was seeing.
That’s why a new chapter is beginning.
We are developing a SEND focused project shaped by lived experience, not theory. It will exist to support families raising children with additional needs. Families who are tired. Families who are advocating every single day. Families who need practical help, safe community, and someone who genuinely understands.
This isn’t a pivot. It’s the same heart.
Whether it’s an 85 year old widow or a parent navigating complex care plans at midnight, we exist for people who are carrying more than they should alone.
Reach will always stay rooted in Bolton. We will always work alongside others. And we will always keep it simple:
Love people well.
Protect hope.
Show up consistently.
Neighbours looking after neighbours.
Children & Families
We support families navigating the realities of raising children with additional needs, the appointments, the paperwork, the waiting lists, and the emotional weight that often comes with it. Through practical support, one to one guidance, and safe community spaces, we walk alongside parents so they feel understood, equipped, and never alone.
Befriending
Reach Befriending is all about bringing friendship and hope to older people who feel alone. Through weekly one-to-one visits from our trained volunteers, we offer a listening ear, a friendly face, and genuine connection. Born from lived experience and a deep love for our elderly neighbours, we believe no one should grow old feeling forgotten.
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Our trustees .
Dan Eden
Trustee
Esther Bullock
Chair
Rachel Greenhalgh
Secretary
James Fearnley
Trustee
Let's work together!
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