Press Release
Oldham community unites for people with learning disabilities or mental health needs
An open day on services for people with learning disabilities or mental health needs was held in Oldham on Tuesday 27th March.
The event was a huge success, with more than a hundred and fifty people from the local community taking part in a wide range of events and activities.
The day was organised by United Response’s new Community Networking Project, a local project designed to ensure that the specific needs and requirements of people with learning disabilities or mental health needs in Oldham are properly met.
Partners for the event included Coppice community centre and Oldham PCT (Mental Health Team). The day was organised to ensure that people affected by these issues were fully aware of the services available to them and to provide support for friends and relatives. A wide array of activities were provided, from arts and craft to relaxation activities, and a buffet lunch ensured no-one left with an empty stomach. The participants represented a wide range of ages and races and included Oldham mayor Bernard Judge and mayoress Anita Judge.
“Many of us have things in life we need or want to do, but some people with learning disabilities or mental health needs may need support to achieve these.” said Zaffer Ullah, community networker. “Unfortunately many people from ethnic communities often find they cannot access the sort of support they want, or their needs are not addressed. Today was designed to change that, to reach out and ensure that people from different ethnic background knew that support was available for them. It was a real pleasure to see how many people came, and I’m looking forward to working with many of them in the future.”
Exhibitors included gyms, local authorities, support groups and organisations. The catering was provided by the Pearl Restaurant .
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