27th November 2024
How Citizens Advice Cornwall has helped struggling families
CITIZENS Advice’s annual report says that for every £1 invested in Cornwall, its officers and voluntary workers generated £14.13 in value to members of the general public.
In a statistic-laden review of 2023-24, the organisation that pulls together a network of independent charities and offers free confidential advice on-line, over the ’phone, and in person, reveals that it assisted 8,400 Cornish-based people with 31,700 issues since the last annual report.
Some 82 per cent of residents gave feedback saying that they were helped to find a way forward with their issues and slightly more (85 per cent) said that they would recommend the services to other people.
Crucially, Citizens Advice says that it helped people in Cornwall gain £6.5-million in income, while being able to assist in writing off debt worth £1-million for those living in the county and on the Isles of Scilly.
Citizens Advice, which has an office in Liskeard, adds that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic; cuts to services; lack of affordable housing, and the cost-of-living crisis have impacted on the mental and physical health of an overwhelming number of people in Cornwall.
Says the report: “The average Cornish household’s disposable income is 87 per cent of the UK average, but house prices are proportionately higher, making it 20 per cent harder for local people to buy a house than in other parts of the country, at a time of soaring rents.
“Foodbanks are giving out three times more parcels than five years ago, with employment no longer enough to stop the need of one. Alarmingly, suicides in Cornwall have increased 15 per cent in that time. It now has the fourth highest rate in the country.”
As a local charity, Citizens Advice Cornwall relies on grants and donations to keep on doing its work.
But as demand for the service has continued to increase, the need for funds to pay for training, equipment and office costs has continued to rise.
Adds the report: “If you would like to help our fundraising efforts by organising local events or raising awareness of our work, you can join our fundraising efforts.
“For more information about fundraising and to make a donation, please visit: https://citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk/support-us/
Volunteer Citizens Advice personnel are also required.
“One thing all our volunteers tell us is that working with their local Citizens Advice is enjoyable, rewarding, challenging and varied,” says the report.
“Our volunteers, whether advisers, administration workers, researchers, fundraisers or trustees – are invaluable for the delivery of our projects and services.
“You don’t need prior experience to become a volunteer – full training and supervision is provided for whichever role you apply. Some of our volunteers have found working for us a useful stepping stone into paid work.”
If you are interested in finding out more,please visit the website (https://citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk) or e-mail: volunteer@citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk
To read the full Citizens Advice Cornwall annual report, please see the attached pdf