THE newly formed West Devon Citizens? Advice Bureau has completed its restructuring process by appointing two new members of staff.
The new appointments mark an exciting time for the revitalised charity which will continue to offer free help and advice to the public on a variety of problems.
The service, which takes the form of two bureaux, one in Tavistock and one in Okehampton, with a single management structure and trustee board, can now offer free help and advice five days a week across the borough.
Mandy Kenyon was last month appointed as development officer for the area. Mandy has worked in similar posts in West Devon and North Cornwall but is new to the CAB.
She said: ?I am delighted to be working for such a well respected and important charity and I look forward to taking the service forward to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive the advice they need.?
Among Mandy?s tasks will be raising funds and public awareness for the charity and the recruitment of volunteers.
?CAB offers a fantastic free training programme for volunteer advisors, but we are also looking to recruit people to help in the office and on our management committee.?
Jude Giddings has taken the role of advice session supervisor at the Okehampton office and started work at the beginning of November. She has been associated with CAB for many years and has much experience to offer the charity. Her role involves supporting the advisors to ensure clients? problems are thoroughly examined and the best possible advice is offered.
Okehampton Bureau, which is based at the Ockment Centre, now offers an appointment service on Monday and Thursday afternoons and a drop-in and telephone service on Tuesday morning and all day Thursday.
This is complemented by Tavistock?s Monday and Friday telephone and drop-in, and Wednesday?s appointment-only service, which is based at Kingdon House.
Barbara Osborne, who manages the two bureaux, is confident the new service will evolve to meet the needs of the whole community.
She said: ?With a full complement of staff in place, I am sure that we will be able to concentrate more fully on our main reason for existence, giving advice and support where it is needed and using our experience to inform policy makers of the consequences of their decisions.?
Mrs Osborne also echoed the call for volunteers: ?Our board of trustees, while doing a sterling job, needs more members, particularly from the Tavistock area to ensure an even balance, but people from throughout the borough would be equally enthusiastically welcomed,? she added.
West Devon CAB can be contacted on 01822 612359 or 01837 52574 or in person at the Ockment Centre or Kingdon House. Leaflets detailing opening times are available from both bureaux, libraries, tourist information centres and local shops.