Somali charity offers census guidance

A CARDIFF charity has been helping members of the Somali community fill in census forms, amid fears a low uptake could lead to underrepresentation.

Abdi Hassan of the Somali Integration Society said he hoped his organisation had helped more than 100 people fill in the form.

"We are basically explaining the form to them and the fact there is a fine attached to it, and also that it does contribute to resource allocation.

"We are trying to prevent under-representation of the Somali community and close the gap rather than widen it in this census."

He said the group campaigned in Butetown and Grangetown in the three days before the deadline on Sunday March 27 to remind people to fill in the form.

"Wales has lost about £85 million pounds because of people not filling in the census. It's enough to buy us a new Millennium Centre," he said.

An estimated 238 households in Butetown were undercounted in the census in 2001.