Cash in on expert advice (From Borehamwood Times)

Cash in on expert advice

9:00am Saturday 7th February 2009

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The credit crunch has brought the country to its knees in the past few months, resulting in job losses and economic uncertainty. Suruchi Sharma talks to groups in the area who help people with advice during the recession.

The predictions for an economic downturn have been around for many months but it is only recently the Government confessed to being in a recession.

Borehamwood has been hit with job losses at the Bradford and Bingley mortgage processing site in Elstree Way, at Woolworths in Shenley Road, and Land of Leather at Stirling Corner.

At a time when residents are facing financial losses as uncertainty looms over jobs, there are places in the area people can turn to for help and advice.

The Community Shop, in Leeming Road, has itself battled for survival due to lack of funding since it opened in 1998. Its aim is to lift people in Borehamwood out of poverty, particularly in the Cowley Hill ward where it is based.

It provides a drop-in service offering support to residents on issues including money, health, housing and employment.

Robin Charnley, chief officer at Hertsmere Comm-unity Voluntary Support (CVS), said: “Essentially the community shop offers signposting for people to help them if they have any financial problems.

“If people have issues linked to the credit crunch then whatever the problem is, we send them on to the right person to talk to.

“We are seen as the first point of contact and then we can refer them to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) or an advisor at the job centre.

“It is surprising how often people have heard of the CAB but do not know they can help with financial problems.”

Mr Chandley said the Community Shop provides beginner courses in computing open to people of any age but attended mostly by adults.

He said: “The courses are a starting point for people who want to learn the basic skills of how to use a computer which then gives them another skill to add to their CV.

“It is important people turn to groups that can help them, especially in this financial climate.”

Sandy Archibald, training and administration manager at Hertsmere CAB, based in Allum Lane, Elstree, said the number of calls for financial assistance has dramatically increased over the past few months.

She said: “The number of calls associated with finance have gone through the roof. We have recently been granted £37,000 by Hertsmere Borough Council towards helping provide our services and with this grant we will be expanding the money advice service.

“What we do at the bureau is provide advice on a number of problems. These include housing and consumer issues, problems paying utility bills and debt advice.

“We then invite the person with the problems to come in and talk about what they need to do next.

“We have two money advisors working here at the moment who assess the problems of the person and look at priority and non-priority debts.

“They are here to find out why the person is in debt and help them to get out of that situation as quickly as possible.”

Hertsmere CAB
The Vanstone Suite Community Centre
Allum Lane, Elstree
020 8953 9961 or 0870 121 2025 (national advice line)

The Community Shop
5 Leeming Road
Borehamwood
020 8386 4006

Borehamwood Job Centre Plus
Government Offices
Elstree Way, Borehamwood
020 8258 2130
jobcentreplus.gov.uk

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