AT Citizens Advice Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon we have just finished compiling our Annual Reports for 2024-25.

In them we relate our impact on local communities.

They will be available before the end of May on our website and make for interesting reading.

Inquiries about welfare benefits, energy, debt and housing remain key areas where people need our help.

We have covered advice on all of these issues over time and shall doubtless be doing so again.

However, this month I’d like to talk about another aspect of our work and ask for your help!

In-house we refer to our Research and Campaigns which roughly translates into trying to make society fairer. This is a lesser known aspect of our work but every bit as important as the advice and help we give because it enables us to put pressure on the decision makers where we see something is unfair.

Our charity is highly respected and people listen to us.

We also maintain relationships with our local MPs and councillors.

Whilst maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality, we compile compelling data to support our causes.

We support this at both local and national levels and are very active locally, getting out and about in the community and undertaking surveys which are a vital part of this work.

We recently published a report on the impact of the cost of living crisis based on our local research: Citizens Advice Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon 2024 Living Standards Report - Rural Devon Citizen's Advice .

We were also delighted when Karen Plum, our Research and Campaigns volunteer received an “Unsung Hero” award at the recent Research and Campaigns national conference.

She and our Team Leader Laurence Atkinson, who heads our Research and Campaigns work, put a great deal of time and energy into this crucial aspect of our work. Which leads me to my request for help!

As part of a Devon-wide campaign we seek information from people experiencing problems with repairs in private or social rented properties.

There is a simple form here: https://forms.office.com/e/0gRCPqVggG and if you could complete it for us it would be really helpful.

We can’t undertake to try and resolve any issues you may have but it will help us to escalate what is a very real and widespread problem.

We would also like to hear from you if you do seasonal work in the area and are on means tested benefits as we are also picking this up as an issue that needs serious review for people finding it hard to make ends meet.

If you can help us with this, please use the following link: [email protected] .

As ever, we are looking to grow our volunteer numbers in our drive to help more people. We are running a volunteer taster session in Barnstaple on Thursday June 5 from 10am to 12 noon.

If you would like to attend please register here: Volunteering Taster Day - Registration of Interest or telephone 01237 879170.

For free, confidential, independent and impartial advice call our local (freephone) Adviceline: 0808 27 87 999.

Rosanna Teale

CEO and Trustee Support Officer

Citizens Advice

Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon