Vital work of CAB

Published on 21st February 2008 in Letters

Sir - I was dismayed to read the news items concerning the present financial difficulties of the Boothferry Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) for this area. Only a couple of weeks ago I was speaking to an officer of one of the major service charities who described CABs as the GOLD STANDARD for dealing with debt problems in the country. I would endorse that sentiment and state that of all the organisations that I deal with there are none whose staff are more dedicated, knowledgeable, skilled and punctilious than those of the CAB in all aspects of their work.

Figures recently released have shown that the gap between the rich and poor in our country is continuing to widen. Mr Brown has stated his wish that the voluntary sector takes on more responsibilities for services that were once provided by national and local government but has put little or no money forward to assist that process. At the same time, because of the litigious nature of our modern society government has but severe obligations on charities that deal with the public in respect of training and accreditation. All of these put huge extra financial strain on charitable voluntary organisations.

In the thirty years plus that I have known this area I do not think it has ever been more commercially vibrant. In every direction in the area surrounding Goole there seems to be ever more thriving and new businesses as well as the old established ones. As well as the latter we now have sites operating here from international and national companies. I would suggest that the salvation for the CAB could and should lie with the commercial and business sector in the area. I am sure that if a reasonable contribution form almost every business in this area was made to the CAB most of its problems over funding would be solved.

I would go further and suggest that such donations should be on an on-going and not the one-off variety. I know from the experience in my own organisation that all the time spent on fund raising to cover our administrative costs could be better spent assisting the people who have turned to us for assistance. On going donations are a great help in this respect.

This country has an historical tradition of benevolence from businessmen who have chosen to give something back to the communities in which they operate. I can only say that any such person who wishes to follow in the tradition of great men like Daniel Gooch, Titus Salt and Joseph Rowntree could do no better at this time than to contribute to the local CAB. After all, it is tax deductible, is it not?

M.R. Rogers

(Divisional Secretary,

Howden and Goole Division.

East Yorkshire Branch,

SSAFA Forces Help)