DOZENS of people came together in Dorchester yesterday for a discussion about the significance and relevance of human rights.

The British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) came to South Walks House as part of celebrations marking 15 years of the Human Rights Act.

The BIHR worked alongside West Dorset District Council, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, and Dorset Healthcare to host the event, which took place for much of the afternoon.

The event featured as part of BIHR’s 15 Days of Action for 15th Anniversary of the Human Rights Act.

The Human Rights Tour takes place every year, allowing communities to highlight issues and engage in debates with key stakeholders in the community.

Speaking after the event, Sanchita Hosali, deputy director of BIHR, said: “It’s gone really well. It’s been great. One of the reasons that the BIHR does the tour is to take the conversation out of Westminster and into the heart of communities.”

Ms Hosali said attendees were able to ask challenging questions and learn how human rights were relevant to their day to day lives.

Commenting on the turnout, she said: “It was really good, really well attended.

“We pretty much had a full house and a real mix of attendees as well - from mayors and chief executives of local councils right down to individuals who are experiencing issues and everyone in between.”

Ms Hosali said she hoped attendees would feel a bit more empowered after the event.

Mayor of Dorchester, Cllr Robin Potter, said the event was excellent.

He said: “A better knowledge leads to a better understanding. It’s really important people know what this is all about.”