A NATIONAL charity's new branch office in Bury, helping to break down the barriers between employers and disabled workers, has been given the royal seal of approval.

Mr Phil Busby, who has been put at the helm of the three-week-old Bury branch of the Opportunities for People with Disabilities, recently met the Duke of Edinburgh, patron of the charity.

The Duke described the scheme as "an excellent idea" and congratulated the 37-year-old father-of-two on the successful opening of the Kay Street office.

Opportunities aims to find meaningful work for people with all types of disabilities, both mental and physical, throughout the country. Now, thanks to a Lottery grant, unemployed disabled in the Bury and East Lancashire areas can benefit from the free service right on their own doorstep.

Mr Busby said: "It was a privilege to be able to meet the Duke and to tell him how Opportunities is planning to help people with disabilities find work.

"He told me that he was confident that we would be as successful as other Opportunities offices throughout the UK." Based at the Bury Business Centre in Kay Street, Mr Busby is now keen to meet any people with disabilities who would like his help in finding work, and also local employers who may be able to offer opportunities to his clients.

"The charity is unique in that it doesn't just help people with a specific disability," said Mr Busby. "Unemployed people with all types of disability, seen or unseen, can get help through a wide range of services." These include updating their CVs and practising interview techniques. Interviews and appointments can be arranged for them.

"The only thing we ask in return is that they want to find work," said Mr Busby.

With six million people in the country registered as disabled, 3.8 million of those are of working age, with 60 per cent out of work. In 1996 Opportunities helped more than 1,000 people with disabilities move into employment.

"I am dealing with about a dozen clients at the moment," stated Mr Busby. "Preferably, I would like to see between 70 and 80 customers on our books at any one time in the future."

For further information on Opportunities contact Mr Busby, the regional manager, on 705 1878.

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