A NEW drop-in centre has opened in Windermere to provide services for migrant workers in South Lakeland.

The Cumbria Multicultural Service, run by Cumbria County Council, has opened its fourth outreach centre in the county at Windermere Library. It will provide information, advice and guidance to people from all black and minority ethnic backgrounds who live in the area.

Centres run by the service in Barrow-in-Furness and Penrith have already proved successful at strengthening partnerships between migrants and local communities by offering advocacy services and acting as a bridge for local authorities.

Programme manager Irene Troughton said that the Windermere centre was the latest step towards the provision of the service countywide.

"Research shows that migrant workers want drop-in facilities to help them access services as people don't currently know what services are available to them," said Ms Troughton.

"We want to raise awareness for the black and minority community in the area and also among local people to try and stop some of the myths that cause fear and prejudice."

The facility will offer information on exploit-ation, employment, hous-ing, migration and taxes as well as providing access to workshops, language courses and translation services.

Cumbria Multicultural Service also works in conjunction with Cumbria Police and the Citizens Advice Bureau in a bid to integrate and highlight the services that are available to migrants.

"The centre is almost a stepping stone between migrants and local authorities," said Ms Troughton. "We try to build trust and confidence among the black and minority community so that they will talk to people about their issues. We can't do this on our own, so it is important to work with other authorities."

Donika Begaj, advocacy and community relations officer, will run the Windermere centre and is hopeful that it will be successful.

"An important role of what we do is about bridging the gap between people and different agencies. The centre works well in Barrow and we are hoping that the same will happen here. It is very hopeful that there is now a facility like this for migrant workers in Windermere."

Inspector Jeff Steel, of Cumbria Police, said: "We are opening a drop-in point for people coming to work in our area from other parts of the world who are adding greatly to our local economy and our cultural life. It is important to have safe places where visitors to the area can report problems, such as hate crimes, and this is one of the arms to this centre."

Windermere outreach centre is open on Mondays from 11am to 3.30pm.

Contact 01229-894401.

DROP-IN LAUNCH: Advocacy and community relations officer Donika Celina Begaj, who will run the new centre at Windermere, with police officer Chris Isherwood; multi-cultural programme manager Irene Troughton; Polish migrant Victor Baranowski and police inspector Geoff Steele.

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