Yate charity’s Debt Adviser named best ‘Newcomer’ in prestigious national awards

• Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire’s Debt Adviser Angus Macdonald has won Newcomer of the Year at the Institute of Money Advisers awards
• Angus’ award comes after helping 130 clients struggling in South Gloucestershire since starting with the charity last year
• He has been praised for his ‘skilled and sensitive work’ and the ‘wisdom and knowledge’ he brings from his previous career

A Debt Adviser at a Yate charity has been named best newcomer in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Angus Macdonald of Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire has been recognised by the Institute of Money Advisers (IMA) in its annual awards.

The award for “Newcomer of the Year” comes after Angus helped around 130 clients with debt problems since becoming a Debt Adviser last year.

He has helped clients with a combined £700,000 worth of debt – not including the clients he helps at a local prison.

He faced strong competition from other Debt Advisers in other parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Money Advice Supervisor Yvonne Parks – who nominated him for the award – praised him for his “skilled and sensitive work” and also the “wisdom and knowledge” he brings from his previous career.

Angus’ change of career

Angus was previously a manager in the IT industry. He decided to switch to debt advice with Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire after joining the charity as a Volunteer while on a sabbatical in 2022.

Angus was presented with the award – sponsored by the Money and Pensions Service – at the IMA Conference 2024 in Birmingham on 12th June.

The award includes £500 for Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire and a Debt Advice Handbook signed by the author, Peter Madge.

This is the second year in a row an Adviser from the charity’s debt team has been recognised in the IMA awards. Last year, Yvonne was shortlisted for Money Adviser of the Year.

The debt team assists people who come to the charity for help with debt problems – and their work includes making arrangements with creditors as well as priority debts, non-priority debts and court applications.

Angus has completed a training programme put together by the charity’s debt team alongside his work helping clients.

More recently, he has been working towards the Certificate in Money Advice Practice (CertMAP).

The CertMAP course is awarded by Staffordshire University in partnership with the IMA. It is a university-level distance learning course which covers all the main aspects of a debt caseworker’s role.

If Angus successfully passes the end-of-course exam in June, he will cease to be a trainee and will then be a Debt Specialist caseworker.

‘So delighted’ to be named Newcomer of the Year

Angus said: “I’m so delighted to be recognised in this way, and so early on in my Money Advice career.

“The awards ceremony was a bit like the Oscars, complete with golden envelopes! I could not believe it when my name was announced as the first ever winner of the IMA Newcomer of the Year award.

“My first year in the role has given me enormous job satisfaction. It has been interesting, challenging and rewarding.

“Most of it was very new to me – it’s so good to have a second career and learn something new. It revitalises you.

“I’ve had a lot of support from the debt team and the charity and I am very grateful. I see this award as recognition for the whole charity, not just me.

“It has essentially been on the job training – I’ve been having appointments with clients from day one.”

Angus’ ‘skilled and sensitive work’

Yvonne said: “I was so thrilled when Angus won the award from the IMA.

“He gives consistently excellent advice to our clients and he deserves to be recognised for all that he brings to our organisation and debt team.

“Angus stands out, not just for his contribution to specialist debt advice and his skilled and sensitive work with our clients – but also for his enthusiasm to be involved in Citizens Advice, fundraising and always alert for ways in which he can help.

“He brings a lot of wisdom and knowledge from his previous role as a high-level manager and this is invaluable for our team.

“Angus is very much appreciated by all his colleagues at Citizens Advice for his kindness, wisdom and sense of humour and is an important part of our debt team.

Speaking on what the award says about the quality of the charity’s debt team, she said: “We are a team of four specialist Debt Advisers and give outstanding advice and casework support to our clients.

“This IMA award is recognition of the exceptional standard of our work and is a great boost for the team.”

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 and Lyde Green 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/