THE people of Bolton are being urged to have their say over the future shape of mental health services.

Service users, carers, relatives and providers are being asked to attend a meeting which is being chaired by the BEN's Woman of the Year Margaret Willis.

Margaret, a leading figure on the management committee of BAND - the umbrella group which supports 11 drop in centres for the mentally ill in the Bolton - has suffered from mental health problems.

She and Andy Hazeldine, manager of BAND, are hoping everyone who has used or is still using services for the mentally ill will contribute to the meeting, which will be addressed by Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South-east.

The meeting, which starts noon, is being held at St George's Church, St George's Road, Bolton, on Friday, June 12.

The focus will be on a report produced from the results of a questionnaire set by the Joint Strategy Team for Mental Health last year.

All the issues raised in the report will be addressed through a series of workshops which will tackle the main areas for action and concern.

Information on the services available for parents, for the ethnic minorities and everyone whose lives have been touched by mental illness will be readily available and tackled.

Dr Iddon will focus on where mental health services are going and address the meeting on the "Future of Mental Health Services".

Mr Hazeldine said: "The meeting is all about the people.

"We want everyone to have their say to make sure the services provided are what the people need and want."

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