The director of Caerphilly County Citizens Advice Bureau has thanked volunteers which makes the charity’s services run.
Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent has 92 volunteers who collectively contribute around 719 hours of work each week to advise people.
Director Simon Ellington publicly thanked the volunteers to mark Volunteers’ Week.
He said: “Volunteers in our bureau are an indispensable part of the service we give to people in Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent. Volunteering in the CAB offers people of any background the opportunity to develop their skills whilst contributing to their community.
“In our bureau for example, our volunteers undertake all sorts of tasks, including, providing administrative support to the bureau and caseworkers, assessments to determine the route of the problem and to help the client to decide the next steps, completing forms and advising people on their problems, as well as campaigning to influence or change the policies that affect people’s lives.
“I am hugely grateful to all of the fantastic people in our bureau who give up their time to help us deliver the advice to our clients which, in the face of such a tough pressure on people’s personal finances, is more vital than ever.”
The charity claims that across the UK, volunteering in its organisation was worth £100 million to local communities.
Chief executive of Citizens Advice Gillian Guy said: “Our team of volunteers is diverse and I am especially pleased that we are seeing more and more young people give us their time. Volunteering at a bureau is a great way to prepare for work or get some vital experience, with almost two thirds of our volunteers aged under 25 leaving to go straight into paid employment or education.”