We presented Citizens Advice Wakefield District with a cheque from our small grants round for £19,472.92.
You may think Citizens Advice Wakefield District is a government funded service, but in fact they’re a multitude of independent local charities who do amazing work up and down the country.
Citizens Advice Wakefield District is just one of the many areas across England and Wales who strive to help people in need.
Simon Topham – CEO had this to say about the grant they received:
“The money will help support the services we run at mental health centres across Wakefield.
The problem is that these people either don’t know about the benefits and support that’s available to them, or if they do, they don’t know how to apply for it. Even then, the application process for a lot of disability benefits is extremely stressful, which in turn can make a person’s mental health even worse.
We want to become more accessible, so that people continue to know us, trust us and value the advice we offer. We’ve already helped over 150 service users and gained extra income of over £300,000 to support these people.
This funding has provided us with a lifeline that allows us to explore other long-term funding arrangements whilst keeping the service going. It’s especially important to us because we want to be in places with real problems, so that we can help people who don’t know or feel confident asking”.
What a fantastic feeling to know we’ve assisted such a well-respected charity in its long-term funding to support vulnerable people gain access to the help and benefits they need!