MEMBERS of the LGBTQ+ community are being encouraged to take part in a scheme designed to help people battling substance misuse and mental health issues.

Open Road, in Colchester, has partnered up with OutHouse East to establish the number of LGBTQ+ people in north Essex who use drugs or alcohol.

The charities also want to identify how many of these people have managed to access support, how the services on offer can be improved, and what more can be done.

The collaborative project will see Open Road provide an outreach worker while OutHouse East will be running LGBTQ+ awareness sessions until February 2022.

Anyone from the LGBTQ+ community who feels they are in need of support or may benefit from the programme is asked to complete a short survey.

Open Road researcher Sharon Cox said: “It is really important we are able to reach out and support all members of the community.

“By getting as many people to complete the survey as possible, it will give us a clearer picture of how we can help the LGBTQ+ community.”

The survey can be found at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LGBTQOR or Sharon Cox can be contacted on sharon.cox@openroad.org.uk or by phoning 07553 385580.