Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner joins Burnley MP Oliver Ryan in celebrating town's diversity following Bubbles in the Park

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The Deputy Prime Minister says she “can’t wait” to attend a future diversity celebration in Burnley.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner joined Burnley, Padiham, and Brierfield MP Oliver Ryan in applauding the work of local volunteers and organisations to bring people of different faiths and backgrounds together.

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Volunteers, families, park rangers, and Burnley Council teamed up to stage the town’s first ever diversity picnic, Bubbles in the Park, in September. The free event included a fairground, stalls, face painting, singing, food, and bubble-blowing.

Businessman Steven Whittaker came up with the idea to prevent any trouble from happening in the town after rumours spread that a protest would take place in Thompson Park. The rumours followed unrest across the UK after three children attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport were stabbed and killed.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. (Photo by Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. (Photo by Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. (Photo by Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)

MP Ryan thanked the Deputy Prime Minister in Parliament for her work tackling Islamophobia, saying: “This anti-Muslim discourse is a scourge on our communities in Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield. Will the minister join me in celebrating the work of local volunteers, churches, mosques, Lancashire Police and others to organise Burnley’s Diversity Picnic Bubbles in the Park Day who successfully worked on averting potential disturbance over the summer?”

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Responding, she said the Burnley MP is “absolutely right”, adding: “I can’t wait to join him at Bubbles in the Park at a future date as Burnley is not that far away from me. He is absolutely right as well to celebrate the work of volunteers in communities and public services who have given their time and energy to strengthen our local areas and bring people together.”