CARERS in Bury will once again be in the spotlight next month.

Last summer a major Carers' Consultation Conference provided the launch point for a whole new strategy designed to help those who help others.

And on Wednesday, March 8, Radcliffe's Civic Suite will be the setting for a follow-up event, Shaping the Future in Bury.

The aim, as with the previous conference, is to invite along as many carers as possible to not only pass on advice and information but to show how they can be actively involved in ensuring the services they require are available when they need them.

Bury Council's social services spokesman, Coun Pam Walker, said: "The conference last June was intended to inform as wide an audience as possible about the Government's National Strategy for Carers and also at the same time to obtain carers' views on how these should be implemented in Bury. "At that time a number of areas were identified for action and it was promised that there would be full feedback on these issues which would be given at a follow-up conference. That will now take place in Radcliffe next month."

The day will also see the launch of the newly formed Bury Strategy Group, a local body made up of carers, professionals from a variety of areas including social services and a range of council departments, the Bury and Rochdale Health Authority and the local NHS Trust.

Their role will be to produce a Carers' Good Practice Guide for the borough and help create a carers' charter.

At the conference, the morning will include feedback on carer breaks, older carers, young carers plus carers of people with mental health problems.

In the afternoon there will be a choice of consultation workshops covering the use of the carers' grant, older person strategy, key priorities for mental health carers and standards for mental health carers.

Coun Walker added: "We are issuing invitations to everyone who attended last year's conference but in addition to that we do want to attract new carers or those who may have missed out."

For those wishing to find out further information about the conference, or how to attend, they should contact Irene Sargeant, on 0161-253-5431.

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