Volunteers are needed to help Citizens Advice Herefordshire build on its successful relaunch and increase its services in Ross-on-Wye.

A new training course is about to start for anyone interested in this important and rewarding work as the CAB aims to develop its outreach services.

Volunteer Operations and Training Manager Sonya Gregory has been increasing the team and opening hours over the past year after a partnership with Worcester CAB and WHABAC ended a period of uncertainty. “Our aim in Herefordshire now is to develop the service in local communities countywide with outreach face to face services,” she said.

“We are committed to developing this service further and have recently appointed Lynsey Flight as Quality Supervisor and Co-ordinator for Ross-on-Wye, to work with our volunteers and partners for this outreach.”

Lynsey Flight will be responsible for publicising the service in Ross town to make more people aware of the services available and delivering a strategy to increase the number of bookings and attendance at the outreach.

Sonya Gregory is to oversee training for new volunteers as Citizens Advice Herefordshire recruits and trains new advisers and reception staff to react more promptly to client demand. 

“Volunteering with us is challenging, varied and often very rewarding,” she said. “We’re a local charity, helping people in our community with all sorts of everyday problems by giving free advice and information, face-to-face, over the phone and by email. Our clients tell us that the work we do really does make a difference.

“We provide full training, ongoing support and development, so you don’t need any particular qualifications or experience. We are looking for like-minded volunteers, to help us with this valuable work. The training is based at the Hereford Office and volunteer advisers participate in the outreach services on a rota basis.

“Whatever your background, whether you want to gain new skills, enhance your CV, meet new people, give something back to your local community or just keep your brain active, this could be the volunteering opportunity for you.”

Anyone interested in finding out more can attend an information morning at the Hereford office on Thursday, March 21st, at 10.30am.

Citizens Advice Herefordshire is currently offering telephone advice and appointments at the Hereford office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am and 3pm and there is an outreach service at Ross Library, on Cantilupe Road, every second Monday, by appointment.

To find out more, contact Sonya Gregory on 01432 377583.See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here