A home and hospital visiting service run by Enfield Citizens Advice has been saved from folding – thanks to a £5000 funding lifeline from Aberdeen Asset Management's London charity committee.
The vital advice facility – for people who are too ill, disabled or frail to attend the Enfield Citizens Advice office – will continue to operate for another year after receiving £5000 from the global finance firm’s charitable foundation.
For many people who are sick or have mobility issues, the home visiting service provides the only opportunity for them to meet with someone to gain help with issues like applying for benefits, dealing with debt, tackling housing disrepair and threatened homelessness.
The service has been run for the past two years but with its funding stream drying up, Enfield Citizens Advice feared it would be forced to pull the plug on its valued outreach facility.
Jill Harrison, CEO of Enfield Citizens Advice said :“Some people simply can’t make it in to our bureau office due to ill health or caring responsibilities so our home visits service allows trained advisers to be able to offer them advice on a wide range of services in their own home or in hospital.
“Many have told us this service is a real lifeline to them and we are delighted that we will be able to continue to provide this service for another year to come. They can seek advice about money worries, welfare benefits, employment rights, housing concerns, consumer or healthcare or family matters through this free and confidential service.
“Aberdeen Asset Management’s funding has saved our home visits project from closure and enabled us to continue to visit and help the most vulnerable sick, disabled and elderly people in Enfield for another year and we are very grateful for this support. “
Formed in September 1939, Enfield Citizens Advice is a charity that provides free, impartial, independent and confidential advice on a variety of issues to people who live, work or study in Enfield. Most of its services are provided by a team of 81 volunteers, supported by mainly part time staff, and together they provide help to 10,000 people a year tackling more than 25,000 problems.
Home visits officer Alun Jones carries out home or hospital visits every week to vulnerable people including those with Multiple Sclerosis, Dementia or who are recovering from a stroke and who would be unable to attend the bureau in person to gain advice. The kind of issues for which they have received support include finances and housing and in the last six months alone, Alun has helped individuals to claim £73,975 of additional benefits and to deal with £51,555 of debts.
These kind of sums make a huge difference to people in poverty, enabling them to deal with rent or mortgage arrears, heat their homes properly, buy decent food and a host of other things which other people take for granted.
Lynda Affleck from Aberdeen Asset Management’s London charity committee said: “The home visiting service project takes Citizens Advice out to people’s living rooms or hospital beds and it can be the only way of getting advice out to vulnerable people. We’re pleased to be able to help ensure this valued and appreciated service can continue for another year.”
Aberdeen Asset Management’s Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact and the firm encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects. The main focus of the Foundation is around emerging markets and local communities, reflecting the desire to give back to those areas which are a key strategic focus of the business and to build on the historic pattern of giving to communities in which Aberdeen employees live and work.
For more information visit http://www.aberdeen-asset.co.uk/aam.nsf/foundation/home