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| Kathy Peach, Mark Francois MP, Stephen Metcalfe MP and Stella Calkin |
Earlier this week, Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock and Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, had the privilege of visiting the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) at the Basildon Centre.
Stephen and Mark took the opportunity to meet volunteers and staff, and to find out what services the CAB offer.
Stephen commented: “The free, independent, confidential and impartial advice offered by the CAB is a lifeline to thousands of people in Basildon. In these difficult economic times, the services provided by CAB have never been so important, nor have they been so widely used. Last year alone, the Basildon District CAB helped 8,354 clients with 15,435 different issues.”
The CAB is committed to educating people on their rights and responsibilities on issues spanning from debt and employment to housing and immigration. In addition to providing this one on one advice, they are also influencing policy, providing Parliament with a finger on the pulse of every local community.
Stephen added: “What is truly remarkable about this service are the volunteers that make it happen. Nationwide, CAB’s rely on 21,500 volunteers. In the Basildon branch, 81% of staff are volunteers who willingly give up their time to help with administration, reception, IT, marketing, PR, fundraising and interpreting.
Without their dedication and hard work, the CAB would simply not exist and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every volunteer.”
The CAB is always on the lookout for new volunteers. Indeed, nationwide, 5,000 new recruits are needed each year to continue to meet the needs of local communities. Training is free, expenses are paid and one third of the volunteers who leave the service go onto full time education or employment.
If you are interested in joining this incredible team of volunteers, please visit http://www.bascab.org.uk/Volunteer/ to find out more.
