THE West Somerset Advice Bureau is looking to recruit new volunteer advisors to provide advice to residents of West Somerset.

The bureau is an independent charity that provides advice on a full range of issues.

The advice service is provided by a team of trained volunteers and the bureau is now seeking to recruit new advisors to join a training course starting in February.

In the last 12months, the bureau has helped 1,500 West Somerset residents.

Not only do they help people cope with issues such as debt and fuel poverty, but they help people with advice on employment issues, property disputes and housing.

Bureau manager Georgie Reynolds said: “Our volunteer advisors provide a critical support for people who are experiencing difficulty in their lives.

“We provided impartial free advice and help people find the best solution to the issues that are confronting them. confronting them.

“Our clients can be experiencing difficulty with employment, consumer issues, as a carer, with a disability or any one of a number of other issues.

“In many cases, one issue can create additional problems for a client, for example redundancy will often impact on the client’s ability to meet household expenses.”

Advisors come from a wide variety of backgrounds and no formal qualifications are required as full training will be given.

A willingness to learn, be nonjudgmental and treat all information in the strictest confidence are the only requirements.

William Wake, volunteer coordinator at the Bureau added: “Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the bureau and we do need to recruit more advisors in order to be able to continue to prvide this critical service.

I would love to hear from anyone who can help.” The training course starts on February 5 and lasts ten weeks.

Once training is complete, each advisor is asked to volunteer for at least one six-hour session per week.

For more information, contact William Wake on 01643-704624 or email WilliamW@westsomerset advice.org.uk