ANYONE with a strong, caring, interest in their environment can help put their parish on the map.

Go-ahead Soroptimist International wants people to bond together and pinpoint all that's good and bad about the Leigh area.

Soroptimists say:"Making a Parish Map can help people come together to chart the things they value in their own locality.

"We need a better democracy - more local, more pliable, more responsive - and it is we who have to forge it. Making a Parish Map offers a way of getting started.

"If we don't look after our environment now, what will it be like to live in the 21st century?"

They say people's charted views would be used to shape the future.

The women's international service organisation has set-up a Leigh area project launch, by the Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Ken and Mrs Joan Pye, who feel it complements their citizenship and environment charity.

And the evolving project will be recorded by college photography students.

The map itself may be woven, printed, knitted, drawn, painted, filmed, animated, performed and written. It will eventually be donated to the borough for the Millennium.

Strong Parish Map networks exist in Cheshire and other parts - Soroptimists aim to spread the word encouraging spin-off groups to get involved in caring for their own locality.

And how you interpret your surroundings could act as a guide for future generations.

Local businesses and organisations are backing the project which gets underway between 12.30-3.30pm on Saturday, November 15 at The Derby Room in Leigh's Turnpike Centre.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.