John Prescott hosts delegation's Rotherham fact-finding tour

VISITORS from China and Mongolia were taken on a tour of Rotherham's specialist breathing centre by the man who opened its doors in 2007–MP John Prescott.The former Deputy Prime Minister was at BreathingSpace today to show the Chongqing visitors the

VISITORS from China and Mongolia were taken on a tour of Rotherham's specialist breathing centre by the man who opened its doors in 2007–MP John Prescott.

The former Deputy Prime Minister was at BreathingSpace today to show the Chongqing visitors the centre's “pioneering approach to treatment and training.”

Millions of people in China and Mongolia are employed in the mining industry and the visitors were in Rotherham ahead of the Coal:The Social, Economic, Regeneration and Climate Change Opportunities conference.

The MP said: “I was delighted to play a part in opening this unique, world-class facility and I am very happy to be back here today to see first hand the progress that they have made and the fantastic work they are doing to improve the lives of their patients.

“I hope that the delegation will be able to benefit from the pioneering expertise and technology that has been developed here and use it as an inspiration for similar services back in their own city of Chongqing which, like Rotherham, has a long history of coal mining and heavy industry."”

The £11 million BreathingSpace centre was formed through a partnership between The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT), NHS Rotherham and Rotherham Borough Council with the aim of improving the way that people suffering with respiratory disease received treatment. More than 1,500 people in the town have used its services since opening in 2007.