Citizens Advice Bureau held their AGM last week. The Directors’ Report for the year ended 31 March 2012 showed £647,321 in client financial gain. This means that local people, with the help of the CAB, have been able to reclaim and spend this sum of money in the local economy. The bureau dealt with 8,191 separate client issues utilising 4,120 volunteer hours.

The service has really gone from strength to strength since inception as a local advice centre back in 2006. Now with 33 volunteers, 8 volunteer board members and 2 part time staff, the bureau also operates an outreach service in Aboyne and Alford.

The principal sources of funding are Citizens Advice Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council although many hours of hard work is undertaken by volunteers researching and applying for various grants as well as local fundraising initiatives throughout the year.

Let’s hope that the CAB will have many more successful years and be able to help even more people on a wide range of issues that face us on a daily basis. Remember all advice is free, confidential and impartial. The Citizens Advice Bureau is not a government agency.