THE SWINDON Coalition of Disabled People is urging residents with disabilities to take advantage of a scheme which offers disabled people the chance to have their own personal assistant (PA).

PAs are employed by private agencies or Swindon social services and have a different role to carers.

A carer will look after a disabled person's needs within the home, addressing issues of cleanliness and health.

A PA on the other hand will assist the disabled person in other areas of their life, including driving to work, doing grocery shopping or visiting the dentist or relatives.

People can go through the council or through an agency but if they go with the latter they may be charged an additional £100 to register.

A Swindon Coalition for Disabled spokesman said: "It is important that you find the right PA, consider aspects such as character and temperament, because you will be with your PA most o the time and you will therefore need to get along with each other."

For more information about PAs, carers and other disability related issues, speak to Sharyn O'Byrne, chairwoman of the coalition.

She can be contacted at the coalition's offices in the Pembroke Centre, Cheney Manor, on 01793 430045.

The office can also be emailed on office@scodp.co.uk or by MSN Messenger on scodp@hotmail.com