Press release
12 July 2011
A Year in the Life of our local CAB
One year to the day after it was officially declared open by the Governor of the Bank of England, the new Cambridge CAB and Advicehub building welcomed its supporters back for an event to celebrate its achievements and to reveal news about its social enterprise, Advicehub.
Representatives from Cambridge CAB funders, staff, volunteers, Advicehub tenants, other advice charities and local businesses gathered to hear the Bureau’s Chairman, Nigel Brown OBE, summarise the successes of the past year as well as the challenges facing the organization in these difficult times:
“Last year Cambridge CAB advisers helped 11,403 local people to solve issues like welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, and family and relationships. This is a 20% increase on the numbers we saw the year before. All the local MPs have visited the Bureau over the last 12 months, showing much-needed support for our service.
Against a background of cuts in funding for voluntary organisations, we have launched our social enterprise, Advicehub, which draws on our successful county-wide project to increase people’s access to advice via partnership working and innovative technologies. From our new building, we are renting office space and hiring training and meeting rooms to external organisations, and running training courses for advice professionals, to provide a real and a virtual ‘hub’ and at the same time providing a much needed alternative funding stream for the Bureau.”
Today’s guests also listened as two of the Bureau’s clients shared their stories of how Cambridge CAB advisers helped them deal with life-changing situations. One of them, Ellen Collings, who is 35 and has three children under 10, said,
“I think Cambridge CAB is brilliant! Last year I became confined to a wheelchair after an operation failed to repair damage to my spine. When I applied for Disability Living Allowance, I only got the low rate Care Allowance which meant I couldn’t afford a Carer. Life was really hard – I didn’t know where to turn.
Then I decided to come to Cambridge CAB. My adviser realized that my application hadn’t been correctly assessed and, with her help, I was able to ask for the decision to be re-considered. I have now been awarded a higher rate, so I’m able to have a proper Carer to help out with the basics of life.
This means that I can live a more independent life and I can look after my children much better. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to everyone at Cambridge CAB for helping to turn my life around – I don’t know where I would be without them.”
The new building offers a greatly improved environment to clients visiting the Bureau, with eight interview rooms and three specialist casework areas, all fitted with up-to-date technology including PCs with proximity readers and environmentally-controlled air cooling. The spacious reception area offers two free public access PCs and an Advicehub self-help touch screen kiosk. The CAB’s newly introduced gateway assessment procedure ensures that clients’ needs can be diagnosed more swiftly, and appointments with specialist advisers can be made on their behalf if necessary.
The building was officially opened on 12th July last year by Sir Mervyn King, who said,
"Citizens Advice Bureaux play a crucial role in our communities. The information and advice they provide can help to empower those in difficulty, enabling them to take control of their lives, building confidence and self esteem.”
Social Enterprise news
The first floor Advicehub area offers superb office space for other organisations looking for accommodation in central Cambridge – either on a full-time or hot desking basis. The building’s proximity to the railway station and other transport links’ and its position in the heart of the major CB1 development, make it an attractive proposition for many organisations. Current Advicehub tenants include:
- TV Edwards LLP: Solicitors specializing in family and relationships, and housing. Legal Aid contract for Cambridge. Initial fixed fee appointment £150+VAT. Fixed fee packages available for people on a low income and who are not eligible for public funding.
- James Baddeley: freelance charity management and fundraising consultant
- The Richmond Fellowship: specialist provider of mental health services, supporting people with mental health problems on their recoveries.
- Serenitas: a newly established Cambridge charity supporting
victims of trauma
Any organisations interested in viewing the office space or meeting rooms should contact Kate Flannery, Marketing Manager on 01223 222697, email katef@cambridgecab.org.uk
How to get advice when you need it:
Online any time at www.cambridgecab.org.uk
(also email advice).
Advicehub self-help touchscreen kiosk in the
Bureau, available 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday. There are 16
more kiosks around the county – find your nearest kiosk at
www.advicehub.org
Drop-in sessions run from Monday to Friday from
9.30am to 1pm, no appointment necessary. If you need further
help from a specialist adviser, an appointment will be made for
you to see one on another day.
On weekday afternoons there is a phone advice service
from 2pm to 4pm on 0844 848 7979.
Outreach at:
- Addenbrooke’s Hospital: Drop-on sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 4pm and Advicehub kiosk in Outpatients Reception
- Girton Village GP Surgery: Monday 1pm to 3pm
- John Huntingdon’s Charity, Sawston: Drop-in sessions Wednesday and Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm