Donation big news for CAB

Tuesday 10 February 2015

A Portuguese-speaking adviser will be on hand at the Citizens’ Advice Bureau this year thanks to a £20,000 donation from the Lloyds Bank Foundation.

The bureau – which deals with thousands of enquiries from Islanders every year – says that the post of “nationality adviser” is a vital one to ensure that non-English speakers who need help can actually get it.

Thanks to part-funding by the Lloyds Bank Foundation, the Portuguese-speaking Nationality Advisor is available to provide free support and advice Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm, either over the phone or in person at the Bureau’s St Helier offices.

CAB chief executive Malcolm Ferey said: “The Lloyds Bank Foundation has offered us great support over the years and we are very grateful for this recent donation.

“A large percentage of our clients are from non-English speaking backgrounds so our Nationality Advisor is there to support them in understanding their rights, their options and how to integrate into the Jersey community.

“We’ve had some excellent feedback since we appointed the Nationality Advisor who has been particularly effective in helping those who face sensitive or upsetting situations, which can cause added distress if information is not provided in a clear way.

“This boost to our core funding is well received and ensures the service continues to serve all of our community and helps to break down the language barriers.”

Since 2003 the Lloyds Bank Foundation has donated in total £54,000 to the Jersey Citizen’s Advice Bureau – they give away around £1 million in Jersey and Guernsey every year.

Executive Director of The Lloyds Bank Foundation, John Hutchins, said: “We are delighted to have been in a position to assist the Citizens’ Advice Bureau who without fail always go the extra mile when providing counselling and advice.”