PEOPLE will be able to report incidents of racial harassment at a new centre from Monday .The Refugee Council in Ipswich is to take on the additional role of a reporting centre for racial harassment incidents.

PEOPLE will be able to report incidents of racial harassment at a new centre from Monday .

The Refugee Council in Ipswich is to take on the additional role of a reporting centre for racial harassment incidents. This will enable individuals using the centre to report incidents to familiar faces. They will then be able to access the support of the Refugee Council and other agencies such as the Suffolk Racial Harassment Initiative.

The new scheme is being funded by Suffolk County Council, supported by Suffolk Police and co-ordinated by the county council's Racial Harassment Initiative.

Peter Monk, member of Suffolk County Council's executive committee, said: "I am pleased to see another reporting centre being opened in Suffolk. When incidents of racial harassment occur it is important that the victims feel they can come forward and talk about it. Setting up these centres makes it easier for people to tell us about any incidents and access the support they need."

Tina Hines from The Refugee Council, said: "We have developed a close working relationship with voluntary and statutory organisations in Suffolk including the Racial Harassment Initiative. I hope that this new scheme at the centre will enable more of our clients to come forward and report incidents that would not otherwise be reported."

The Refugee Council is based is based at 4-8 Museum Street Ipswich. Other reporting centres in Suffolk are based at the 14 Citizens Advice Bureaux in the county.

In Ipswich there are also reporting centres based at Gainsborough Clinic, Elm Street Clinic, Ipswich Mosque, the Caribbean Association, The Bangladeshi Support Centre and Clifford Road Primary School.

Anyone needing to report incidents of racial harassment can call the racial harassment initiative on 01473 584591 or Suffolk Police on 01473 613500. People who want to speak directly to the Refugee Council can call 01473 221560.