Advice Week

Every Citizens Advice Bureau is an independent registered charity.  Without the contribution of over 20,000 trained volunteers and financial support from trusts, lottery funds, companies and individuals, we could not continue to provide this vital service in local communities – helping people to solve problems before they become crises.  On a daily basis advisers see just how important advice is and how “Advice Changes Lives”.

Advice Week is part of the Working Together for Advice (WTfA) project which is funded by the Big Lottery  For more details click here (web link). is dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of advice.  Bureaux use the opportunity to promote the value of advice and the many ways to access it, as well as recruit volunteers and raise funds.

There will be lots of activities occurring across England and Wales Working Together for Advice funding is for England only.  Therefore, not all partners will be promoting Advice Week in Wales. to promote the services available and highlight the need for volunteers and donations.  For example, there might be a quiz happening near you, or displays and/or collections in supermarkets.  Look in your local paper or pop into your local bureau for more details.

For Advice Week 2008 Citizens Advice will be working with advice agencies Advice UK, Advice Services Alliance, Age Concern, Law Centres Federation and Youth Access to raise awareness of the importance of advice.

• www.youthaccess.org.uk

• www.ageconcern.org.uk

• www.lawcentres.org.uk

• www.asauk.org.uk

• www.adviceuk.org.uk

Can you help us?

If your company would be interested in providing national, regional or local support for Advice Week, please email:

• Citizens Advice

Ioan Gruffudd, actor,Amazing Grace, Fantastic Four

"During my time studying in London as a young 18 year old, there was a period during which I became quite disillusioned and depressed and I had started to question whether or not I truly wanted to be an actor.

It was an incredibly intense course that required discipline and a strong personality to survive. At my darkest hour I sat my parents down and told them that I wanted to leave London and quit the training.It was at this time my father imparted one of the best pieces of advice I was ever given. He told me to persevere and stay the course until I had completed my training and if by that time I still wanted to quit acting I could do it then.

He told me it was far better to have completed something and see it through to its conclusion, rather than quitting and not knowing the things I could have achieved and be forever regretful."

Jeanette Winterson, writer

"My best piece of advice is this - do it from the heart, or not at all. We live in a world dominated by numbers; ratings, audience figures, hits, friends on MySpace, how many, how fast, how often, and of course money money money. I believe that life is best lived by purpose, not money. To make something, to be something, to do something, because it is a passion, and because it is whole-hearted."

John Bird, founder of the Big Issue

"Take advice from those with experience, that's the best advice I can give."

Piers Morgan, broadcaster

"My advice: 'Never try and work with a hangover, get out of trouble as fast as you can, and always remember that one day you're the cock of the walk, the next you're a feather duster."