YOUNGSTERS from Fleetwood who believe in the adage "It's good to talk" are taking part in a pioneering project today.

Six members of the Milton Young Women's Group, aged 14-16, and two workers in charge travelled down to Westminster yesterday (November 24) ready to tell Ministers about the issues important to them in a project entitled Dialogue.

Ministers for Women Tessa Jowell, Margaret Jay, Home Secretary Jack Straw and Deputy Home Secretary Paul Boateng will meet the group together with other associations from the North West.

And the Fleetwood group, who meet at the Milton Centre on Milton Road, have produced a presentation to outline issues of bullying, personal safety, lack of youth facilities and negativity towards single young mothers.

Worker-in-charge Jackie Stanhope said: "This is a good opportunity for the group to make their voice heard and a chance they won't get every day. These young women, some of whom haven't even been on a train never mind been to London, now have the chance to highlight the issues which they are most concerned about to Ministers in the hope that something can be done.

"These are the topics that matter to these girls and they've done a lot of work for their presentation.

"This is the first time a project of this kind and scale has been done and so it is a tribute to all the associations taking part that Ministers want to hear in person what they have to say. I hope that the Ministers do take note, but there will be more than 200 people from all over the country all presenting different issues important to them so it depends on what the Ministers can do with all that information."

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