A GROUP will make life easier for disabled people across Wansbeck after it launched at the weekend.

The Wansbeck Disability Forum enjoyed its official opening on Saturday after a year of work to get it up and running.

Its purpose is to give disabled people in the area a focal point where they can go when they need help with a variety of issues. These might include things such as being the subject of a hate crime, or a difficulty with receiving or losing benefits.

It was opened by the chairman of Northumberland County Council, Coun Marcia Bircham, on Saturday at Northumberland Toy Library, Station Villa, Kenilworth Road, Ashington.

Chairwoman of the forum Karon Cook said: “It went really well, and everyone had a great time.

“It all started a year ago, when I realised that there was nowhere in Ashington or Wansbeck for a disabled person to go to if they had problems with benefits or hate issues, or anything to do with disability.

“We got a committee together and a constitution, and for our first client we were able to help her get her benefits back for her disability.

“Now there’s somewhere a disabled person can go to speak to other disabled people who will know where they are coming from.”

The forum received start-up help from the National Lottery’s Awards for All scheme, which gave a useful £9,400.

The members also received £180 from the community chest in Morpeth, and a further £1,000 from Ashington Town Council.

The forum is also hoping to soon set up a programme whereby disabled people will be able to report hate crimes via a reporting point, in conjunction with Northumbria Police.

It will also include drop-in sessions around Wansbeck.

They are currently waiting to find out whether their funding bid was successful.

Pictured at the opening: Karon Cook, chairwoman, Janette Patterson, Vice Chair, Margaret Dudman, Treasurer, and Tracey Grundy, Secretary