ANYONE who lives or works in Weston town centre is invited to contribute ideas to an innovative new health initiative being discussed later month.

The Weston Central Building Communities Conference is being staged to help develop new ‘community-based approaches to improving the health and wellbeing’ of people living in the centre of town.

The event aims to provide a forum for residents to raise health issues relevant to the area, and to use them to produce an action plan which ‘will make a real difference to people’s lives’.

It has been organised by North Somerset Council in partnership with Healthwatch North Somerset, Voluntary Action North Somerset and Central ward councillor Mike Bell.

Cllr Bell said: “I’ve been campaigning for some time for more to be done to support the health of people living in the centre of Weston.

“Access to health services isn’t great since we lost the NHS centre in Boulevard and some of the more centrally located GP practices.

“I’m really hopeful that our Building Communities Conference can help to provide a catalyst for action to improve things.

“But it is vital that it is led by residents, so please do come along if you are interested in having your say and playing a part in moving things forward.”

Natalie Field, the council’s interim director of public health, said encouraging public input into the debate could prove a key way to identify need and possible solutions.

She said: “Asset-based community development is an approach based on identifying and mobilising individual and community ‘assets’, rather than focusing on problems and needs of an area.

“I am looking forward to seeing how we can use this approach to improve the health and well-being of people living in the centre of Weston.”

The conference will take place at Victoria Methodist Church Hall in Station Road, from 9am to 1pm on November 25.

Anyone who is interested in attending is asked to sign up online at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/wchf or by calling Helen Yeo on 01275 885154.