INTERNATIONAL film star Jackie Chan has been made the official patron of AIM Action in Mental Health in the Epping Forest district.

Chan was appointed UNICEF/UNAIDS goodwill ambassador last year and is founder of the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation.

He applauds the work done at AIM and will help the organisation tackle the stigma that still surrounds mental illness with the launch of AIM's Stop the Stigma campaign.

As part of the campaign and to celebrate World Mental Health Day and AIM's fifth birthday, AIM is organising a celebrity gala auction at Waltham Abbey Town Hall at 7pm on Saturday, October 8.

The event will feature a three-course dinner, celebrity auction and a special concert performance by T.REXTASY, voted the UK's best tribute band.

Delboy lookalike Maurice Canham, who took on the role of auctioneer at last year's event, will again be encouraging people to make bids for a range of items which include signed photographs of Jackie Chan, Pavarotti, Harrison Ford and Shirley MacLaine.

Former Essex and England cricketer Graham Gooch has given a signed cricket ball while also up for grabs will be a pennant signed by West Ham footballers, a signed Millwall football shirt and a signed pennant from England coach Sven Goran Ericsson.

Star Trek fans will be able to bid for a signed book, I am Spock, by Leonard Nimoy. Other items include signed memorabilia from Madonna and Rod Stewart, a framed DVD gold disc of A Beautiful Mind signed by its star Russell Crowe and four other film cast members, and an Only Fools and Horses framed photograph signed by several members of the original cast.

Tickets for the evening, priced £50, are available by ringing AIM on 01992 576307 or emailing enquiry@aim-uk.org l AIM began as a mental health project introduced as a result of a local mental health forum, a community initiative set up by the local Council for Voluntary Service which recognised that there were many gaps in mental health service provision, in particular social outlets for those experiencing mental health difficulties.

It provides weekly adult drop-in centres, known as Spanners, in Loughton and TeenAIM, a project promoting emotional wellbeing to people aged 13 to 19 (with TeenAIM drop-ins) through Epping Forest College, local schools in the district and WAYPIC (Waltham Abbey Young Persons Information Centre).

For more information on how to become a member, use the services or train as a volunteer, contact manager Audrey Nash on 01992 576307 (email: enquiry@aim-uk.org Spanners is open every Monday (2.30pm to 5pm) at Loughton Hall, Rectory Lane, Loughton; and every Wednesday 4pm to 7pm, Friday 7pm to 9.30pm and Sunday 2.30pm to 5.30pm at St John's Church hall, Church Lane, Loughton.

Stepping Stones (a user-led self-help group) meets every Monday (5pm to 7pm) at Loughton Hall following the Spanners drop-in.