ANNELIESE Dodds visited an Oxford-based mental health charity to discuss possible challenges, including a potential funding cut.

Ms Dodds, the MP for Oxford East, spent time with service users in Restore’s Garden Cafe, off Cowley Road, yesterday, even taking time to serve some of them behind the cafe’s counter.

This week, the county council said it would shelve a £1m cut to mental health services. Another £600,000 cut has been delayed.

Ms Dodds said: “I welcome the county’s scrapping of its proposed £1m cut to mental health services, after I and a range of mental health stakeholders and individuals made their opposition clear. Oxfordshire has one of the lowest levels of mental health funding nationally.

“It’s clear that Oxfordshire needs more funding for mental health and I hope the county council will also reconsider their planned £600,000 cut to social work.”

She added: “Restore sits at the heart of our community, and does amazing work to support people struggling with mental ill health to recover and find work.

“I’m delighted to visit Restore, volunteer with the service users who staff the Garden Cafe. I welcome any chance to listen to my constituents.”