Building the Bridge

Building the Bridge is a multi-agency and community group in Bristol set up to ensure agencies and all communities work together to prevent people being drawn into terrorism or violent extremism (whether it relates to religion, politics or race). At the moment Building the Bridge is co-chaired by a member of the Bristol Muslim community, and a Bristol City Council manager. There are also representatives from social services, mental health, police, charities, schools, a university, a hospital, the clinical commissioning group, prisons and probation services and others.

One of our main aims is to identify and challenge violent extremist activity and issues concerning vulnerability within the community. The group meets every few months to discuss community tensions, and local and regional threats from extremists. In particular work is undertaken to ensure agencies share information about vulnerable people appropriately, have mechanisms in place to raise awareness of radicalisation among staff and the public, and submit referrals to safeguarding agencies.