A COMMUNITY forum has provided a platform to bring together different sections of the community and promote greater understanding, members were told at their AGM.

Burnley MP Peter Pike, the Mayor of Burnley Councillor Enid Tate and other representatives of the community gathered at Daneshouse and Stoneyholme Community Centre, Burnley, yesterday for the annual meeting of the Burnley Community Organisations Forum.

Special guests was Dr Z U Khan, chairman of the UK Immigration Advisory Service, whose journey from London was delayed for a short time after his transport broke down.

In his annual report, Forum general secretary Ejaz Hussain said: "I can speak with confidence and without hesitation that the forum has provided a platform for all sections of the community to meet, communicate and share problems and issues without reservations or fear.

"Since its inauguration in August, 1992, the Forum has had to face a number of challenges. In the beginning its members had less experience in voluntary service sector development and were labelled extremists by certain elements.

"But time has proved that despite lack of experience, they showed sincere will and commitment to serve the communities and have demonstrated they can work in partnership with other organisations and institutions to benefit the communities."

Mr Hussain said the forum would continue to work to forge links between local communities in 1998. But he added: "I feel that we should work in the mainstream area for the benefit of Burnley as well as Stoneyholme and Daneshouse.

"This can only be achieved by involving ourselves more in mainstream projects, which is the way forward for the young generation.

"We must strive to narrow the existing gap between all the communities in Burnley. I sincerely hope this will be taken seriously by others and we will be able to work in partnership for the benefit of our town and area."

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