WIRRAL Citizen's Advice Bureau, now in its 75th year, has sent out an SOS for funding to keep the charity going.

The bureau, which does not receive any direct funding, is operating on a dwindling budget as more and more local people seek help.

Consequently a new fundraising campaign is being launched to help secure extra income to boost finances and ensure the continuation of the bureau's free advice and information service into the future.

Philip Howley, chairman of the trustees explained: "One of the underlying principles of the CAB is that we provide advice free of charge to our clients, irrespective of their circumstances, and we would never wish this to change.

"However, as budgets have been cut across the board it has become more challenging for us to not only continue to provide a comprehensive advice service, but also to invest in the infrastructure and support mechanisms which underpin this service.

"We are now calling on the community to offer any expertise they may have in fundraising to help us."

The bureau is looking to appoint a number of volunteers who can work with them to help identify new funding opportunities and open up new channels of funding which will enable the CAB to continue to provide an effective service.

Philip added: "It is testament to the work of the CAB that, 75 years after first opening our doors, we are still providing free and impartial advice to many thousands of local people a year across WirraI.

"I would urge anyone who has a real interest in helping their local community, coupled with a background in fundraising, to contact the bureau to offer their support and help make a real difference to people’s lives. You will find it very rewarding, I know I do."

The bureau has a team of 108 volunteers, as well as paid staff, who provide a wide range of advice services across Wirral.

  • Anyone interested in volunteering for Wirral CAB is asked to call the Volunteer Co-Ordinator on 0151 666 0492.