BURY Racial Equality Council has appointed a temporary director.

Ms Jo Hall (pictured) will take over the helm for three months following the departure of previous director Mr Nasrullah Khan.

He resigned in August because of ill-health, leaving the council without a full-time director.

Now, Ms Hall has stepped into the breach until officials of BREC appoint a permanent successor to Mr Khan.

Currently, she is the director of Bolton equivalent, an organisation she joined nine years ago before being appointed to her present position four and a half years ago.

Ms Hall (36) has worked in the racial equality field for 14 years. Before arriving at Bolton, she worked in similar organisations in Tameside and Oldham.

She said: "I'm here for three months on loan. I was asked by the Commission for Racial Equality to help out at Bury. In Bolton, we have a five-strong staff. "This has allowed me to come across to help out in Bury, given that I have experience of running Bolton."

Her first major task has been to establish a complainant aid service, dealing with those in the community who have suffered from racial discrimination in the workplace.

"We already have this establshed in Bolton," said Ms Hall. "The fact is that people do suffer racial discrimination and harassment in work."

She is also anxious to hear of any similar incidents of racial discrimination-harassment which have occurred elsewhere within the community.

The aid service will allow BREC staff to put together cases for individual complainants.

Anyone who would like to take advantage of the newly-launched service should contact Ms Hall at Bury Racial Equality Council on 761 4533.

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