What would YOU do with £1,000 ?

What would YOU do with £1,000 ?

Last summer the Community Projects Centre, Cwmbran donated £1,000 to the Bureau on the condition the money was spent on volunteers. We have yet to allocate this money to a purpose which volunteers at the Bureau would value or benefit from. We would be grateful for your suggestions. Please send them to mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk

What new services would you like to see the Bureau offer ?

With the construction of three new advice rooms at our Cwmbran Bureau we have the opportunity to provide new services to our clients. We already have a number of external organisations who supplement our core advice offer: Shelter, Pensionwise, Family Law Clinic, and Tax Help for Older People. what else could we provide ?

If you have an idea for a useful service please email me on mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk

New Starters

This week we welcome Michelle Leeder who is a graphic designer joining us on an internship. Michelle we be mainly working from home but as part of her work improving our reception areas, our shop windows, our publicity and integrating the new Citizens Advice branding she will be in and around our offices from time to time.

Thank you for the team work

Both Karen and Rachel have been poorly recently which has left our Admin Team depleted of staff. Doreen and Lisa like to thank the Admin Volunteers and others for helping out and going beyond the call of duty to keep reception and the admin function running these last two weeks. A great example of team work, thanks to all.

Generalist webchat

Our new webchat service which will mirror on line what we are able to provide through Adviceline Cymru will start with the training of the first four volunteers, Jill Martin, David Taylor-Williams, Tony Pursell, Sue Roberts and Naomi White will take place on Tue 19th May.  If you are interested in trying out this exciting new advice channell please drop Dave a line david.roberts@torfaencab.org.uk 

Leaks and broken windows

Cwmbran shopping have finally engaged builders who will replace the broken skylights in the Cwmbran Bureau. The work will be done overnight so will not disrupt our normal services.

New Branding

Torfaen CAB has been accepted as an early adopter of the new Citizens Advice branding we hope to have new publicity materials arriving from next week which will feature the new logo, new colour scheme and new stories to describe our work. Expect posters and pop-up banners as a minimum.

Bring in your Mugshots

With an ever growing and changing team of staff and volunteers we have to put some effort into getting to know one an other. We want to create a staff and volunteers board with photographs, names and responsibilities where relevant. 

PLEASE can you bring in or email to mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk a photograph of yourself for the board. We promise we will not use it for any other purpose.

Dates

Next Bureau Team meeting: Wed 17th June at 1 - 4pm All staff and volunteers are welcome.

Bank Holiday closures: Mon & Tue 25/26 May; Mon 31 Aug.

Christmas Closure: The Bureau will be closed from 12.30pm on Thu 24th Dec and will reopen on Mon 4th Jan 2016. There will be no outreach sessions on Thu 24th. Bureau staff will need to take annual leave on the following days. 24th (half day), 30th, 31st Dec.

Feedback

I always welcome feedback from staff and volunteers, you can ring me on 01633 876128 send an email at mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk, write a letter, comment on this blog, place your comment or suggestion in the comments box in the Cwmbran meeting room, feed it through your line manager or Advice Session Supervisor or come and see me.

This Blog is prepared for the staff and volunteers of Torfaen Citizens Advice Bureau

2014-15, our busiest ever year

2014-15. Our busiest ever year.

Last year was the busiest for the Bureau. We helped 7,033 unique individuals who came to us for help with 13,034 problems. A little over half of those people were from Torfaen, the remainder from the surrounding areas and those across Wales and England who we helped via Adviceline and Webchat.

In 2014-15 we helped 5% of the adult population in Torfaen and across the last two years we have helped 10%, over 6,800 individual people from the Borough.

For those 7,033 people who contacted us last year we were able to help them to the tune of £18m in benefit, debts managed and other financial gains.

39% of people came to us with debt problems, 34% about benefits, 6% with housing problems, 5% with employment issues and 4% with relationship or family law matters.

A third of our clients have a disability or life limiting long term illness.

Fareshare in Blaenavon

Torfaen CAB are exploring bringing a Fareshare food hamper scheme for low income families to our Blaenavon Outreach. With help and support from Torfaen Communities First we hope to be able to offer the service to 40 families locally each week. You can find out more about Fareshare at www.fareshare.org.uk 


New Branding
The new Citizens Advice branding starts to go live acorss the country this month. You will have already noticed the new branding across all Citizens Advice websites and we hope to follow suit as soon as the image library is released to us. We have requested to become an early adopter bureau so we are hopeful of a fresh new image soon.

Bring in your Mugshots

With an ever growing and changing team of staff and volunteers we have to put some effort into getting to know one an other. We want to create a staff and volunteers board with photographs, names and responsibilities where relevant. 

PLEASE can you bring in or email to mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk a photograph of yourself for the board. We promise we will not use it for any other purpose.

Dates

Next Bureau Team meeting: Wed 17th June at 1 - 4pm All staff and volunteers are welcome.

Bank Holiday closures: Mon & Tue 25/26 May; Mon 31 Aug.

Christmas Closure: The Bureau will be closed from 12.30pm on Thu 24th Dec and will reopen on Mon 4th Jan 2016. There will be no outreach sessions on Thu 24th. Bureau staff will need to take annual leave on the following days. 24th (half day), 30th, 31st Dec.

Feedback

I always welcome feedback from staff and volunteers, you can ring me on 01633 876128 send an email at mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk, write a letter, comment on this blog, place your comment or suggestion in the comments box in the Cwmbran meeting room, feed it through your line manager or Advice Session Supervisor or come and see me.

This Blog is prepared for the staff and volunteers of Torfaen Citizens Advice Bureau