Board Member and Volunteer Adviser
Became a trustee in: 2016
Citizens Advice Exeter is an exceptional working environment in which to volunteer, achieved through its strong sense of teamwork. This collaboration extends from its members of staff, through its volunteers and onto its clients; we all work together, including the client wherever possible, to hopefully achieve a positive outcome for the client. I have no doubt it is this strong sense of support that has ensured the office’s continuing high standards and its recently deserved honour of being granted the Queen’s Voluntary Service Award.
I have been volunteering at Citizens Advice Exeter for over six years now, taking on a variety of roles during that time. I qualified as a Generalist Adviser three years ago and have recently trained to be able to represent clients at disability benefit tribunals. Becoming a trustee alongside my volunteering role, therefore, feels a natural progression, re-enforcing my continuing commitment to Citizens Advice Exeter.
Although my background is in administration, whilst bringing up my two daughters in rural NW Devon, I combined this with the typical serving on pre-school and school committees, which then led to me becoming a school governor. On moving to Exeter, I took the opportunity to become a mature student & completed an English Literature degree with the Open University last year – all that referencing comes in very useful when producing tribunal submissions! My interests are varied, ranging from fishing and skiing, to singing, acting, reading and walking with my now aging springer spaniel.