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photo source: BBC News

The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation was very pleased to accept the invitation to attend Mr Brown's audience in Southampton as the Cabinet met outside London for the fourth time - following visits to Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham. The purpose of the visit was to get a 'proper interaction' and hear people's views outside London.

Mr Brown also confirmed the launch of the UK's Real help now website with the purpose of enabling people to find details of all the support the Government is giving workers, employers and homeowners 'in one place' during this time of economic recession. 

Cabinet Ministers including Alistair Darling, David Miliband, Jackie Smith and Lord Mandelson answered a range of questions from audience members on topics including the economy and crime. Michael Gale, MBF Regional Co-ordinator, took the opportunity to mention the positive impact mentoring and befriending schemes have on the lives of those adversely affected by drug and alcohol misuse, stressing the empowering and inspiring effects mentoring and befriending can provide in such cases. He used a successful example of a mentoring project from within the South East region, Kent Community Housing Trust to demonstrate this.

Read the full story and watch related videos at the No10 website