Drive to fund phone and email advice for people struggling – with donations automatically DOUBLED
- Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is running a Crowdfunder campaign to fund the installation of phone and IT systems in its new premises in Yate
- This is vital as Advisers at the charity regularly use phone and email to advise clients – particularly those with accessibility needs
- Donations made by 6th August will be automatically DOUBLED through match funding by Aviva Community Fund
Anyone wanting to support a vital South Gloucestershire advice charity has the opportunity to have their donation automatically DOUBLED.
Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire – which helps thousands of people in South Gloucestershire each year – is currently running a Crowdfunder campaign.
The push aims to fund the installation of phone and IT systems at the charity’s new premises in Yate – which it hopes to move into later this year.
Phone and email are invaluable channels for advice alongside the charity’s face-to-face sessions and are particularly helpful for people with accessibility needs.
Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire gives free, independent and confidential advice to anyone who needs it in South Gloucestershire.
Advice topics can include but are not limited to cost of living problems, debt, benefits, housing, employment and relationship breakdown.
It helped 4% of households in South Gloucestershire last year.
The charity needs to move to a bigger home because it has outgrown its current premises in Kennedy Way, Yate – where it has been based since 1988.
The charity is now planning to move to Unit 1 Badminton Court, Station Road later this year – but needs to fund several parts of the move including the installation of new phone and IT systems.
How your doubled donation will help
Maya Prowse-Hall is Remote Generalist Adviser at Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire on a project funded by Aviva which provides advice to clients via phone and webchat.
She helps an average of 12 clients per day via these channels, and installing the systems at the new premises will be essential for her work.
She said: “The phone and webchat are the two main ways I advise clients and it’s a really efficient way of giving out advice to as many people as possible.
“It’s really good for members of the public to get in touch with Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire.
“It’s really useful in terms of accessibility for clients who have disabilities. They may find it hard to get to a Citizens Advice office in person – or webchat, for example, is really useful for clients who are deaf.
“We couldn’t do this without the phone and IT systems, so it is really important.”
The charity is seeking to raise £10,000 through the Crowdfunder, run by Aviva Community Fund.
Any donations up to £250 made before 1.49pm on 6th August will be automatically DOUBLED through match funding by Aviva Community Fund.
To donate please go to: https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/p/buildingabiggerimpact
Please consider supporting us
Chantal Watts, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, said: “We’re very grateful to everyone who has supported us in our move to a larger home so far.
“Our Crowdfunder campaign will fund the installation of vital phone and IT systems that will give our Advisers the ability to provide top quality help to you each and every week.
“Please consider supporting us – especially as your donation will be doubled thanks to Aviva Community Fund.”
Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is a local, independent charity which provides free, confidential and impartial advice to anyone who needs it in South Gloucestershire.
Only a portion of its work is covered by local authority funding so every individual donation helps.
It runs face-to-face open-door sessions in Yate, Cadbury Heath, Stoke Gifford, Thornbury, Bradley Stoke, Emersons Green, Lyde Green and Staple Hill & Mangotsfield as well as operating a free Adviceline telephone service.
Anyone in South Gloucestershire seeking free, independent, impartial and confidential advice from Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire can call 0808 278 7947.
The charity’s opening times and contact details are available at: www.southgloscab.org.uk/get-advice/visit-us/
Published 01/08/24.
