PEOPLE are needed to highlight the danger of diabetes in Bolton’s 'hot spots' for sufferers.

Six per cent of the population nationally suffer from the disease, but in Lever Edge, Lower Deane and The Willows, Victory and Breightmet North and Withins, that figure is as high as 27 per cent.

The higher prevalence of the disease in these areas is affected by large Asian and minority group populations, who are more at risk of diabetes.

In areas with South Asian communities, 16 per cent of people suffer the disease, it affects 27 per cent of people in areas of Bolton with a high Asian Pakistani population and 19.6 per cent of people in areas of Bolton with a high Asian Indian population.

Now an innovative project is targeting these groups — and wants the public to get involved as ‘community champions’.

Sister Lynne Bromley QN from the Mandalay Medical Centre in Astley Bridge has been given £5,000 from the Queen’s Nursing Insitute to work with Bolton’s south Asian, black and minority ethnic populations.

She is working with Diabetes UK to find champions who will undergo training to help people in their communities understand the risks of diabetes and how to prevent them.

Sister Bromley said: “We want to find people from the south Asian community who can be trained to improve health awareness, management and outcomes in their own community.

“The aim is for them to support people who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes and cardio-vascular disease, to improve their lifestyle choices such as food and cooking practices, physical activity and smoking.

“These champions will be able to engage with the community and make changes by working with mosques, schools and women’s groups.”

So far about 20 people have already registered an interest in becoming a community champion.

To take part: call Mahera at the Bolton Council of Mosques on 01204 363680 or email your details to admin@thebcom.org