Exeter CAB celebrates national Volunteer Week

Leading local advice charity, Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau is saying a “big thank you” to their volunteers by hosting a cream tea event later in the Summer.

At a time of financial pressures, the invaluable contribution made by volunteers is needed more now than ever.

Volunteers undertake a variety of roles. These include training as advisers and assessors, campaigning on social policy issues, working on Reception, helping out with administration, providing financial capability training courses, and even sitting on the trustee board.

When Exeter CAB asked their volunteers to describe the volunteering experience in one-word, the most used phrases were;

• Satisfying
• Engaging, and
• Empowering

Chief Executive of Exeter CAB Steve Barriball said:
“As a result of the many recent reforms, as well as the biggest shake-up of welfare benefits for decades, there is a huge demand for the advice and policy influence our staff and volunteers provide. Our volunteers give over £600,000 worth of hours a year between them. I would like to say a “big thank you” to them. They embed the bureau in the local community. Without their passion and generosity the service would struggle to survive, and the cost to the economy of unresolved problems would soar. As we develop our advice model, volunteers remain a fundamental part of making that a success”.

CAB volunteer Pam Pritchard said: “Volunteering with Exeter CAB has given me the opportunity to gain new knowledge, skills and experience in a wide variety of areas and the confidence to be able to use these abilities to help our local community.”

CAB volunteer Stephen Salter added: “It is great to give to the community and have the satisfaction from helping others.”

Steve Barriball finished by saying: “We are keen to help even more people this year, and we are holding our next volunteer recruitment event on 16th September. To register an interest on-line, please complete a volunteer information request through the Volunteer Section of our website (www.exetercab.org.uk), or pop into our office, or call us on 01392 208135."

Donations to support the charity can be made in person at the their offices on Dix’s Field in Exeter, or via the Donation Support section of their website.

Volunteers Week is an annual event co-ordinated in England by Volunteering England to celebrate the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers make across the UK. It is an opportunity for organisations to publicly recognise the work of their volunteers.