THE outgoing chairman for Herefordshire’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau believes the service has put £7m into the local economy.

Brian Roe, who retired at the charity’s AGM last Friday, had been chairman for a year and vice-chairman for seven years before that.

He praised the “vital” local service which helped 5,180 people in 12 months last year – among those were nearly 1,500 people who had been affected by cancer, with CAB’s Macmillan partnership helping secure more than £1.175m in benefits for them.

Mr Roe said: “We are rightly proud of our achievements and of our partnership with Macmillan.

“Herefordshire CAB is a vital local service that helps people in real need and every penny we receive not only helps those people, it also generates money in to the local economy.

“We estimate the total positive effect on the local economy to be in the order of £7m.”

Mr Roe’s successor Denise Shuker comes to the position following a role as a director of the West Mercia housing Group.

Among Ms Shuker’s first concerns will be to ensure that the Herefordshire’s CAB – part of a nationwide network that celebrated its 75th birthday this year – continues to receive the financial support it needs to help Herefordians.

She said: “Securing our funding for the future so we can continue to support local people is our top priority.”

While the issues CAB staff offer advice on have changed over its 75-year history, chief executive Claire Keetch said that the principles of offering free, confidential and impartial advice remain.

One of the new strings to the CAB bow is the partnership with Macmillan, which has been running for four years.

Four out of five people who are faced with a cancer diagnosis are affected financially, with the average extra costs or loss of income coming in at £570 a month.

Macmillan’s specialist support advisor Emma Cross said: “We know from our research that when someone is faced with a cancer diagnosis, it’s not just issues in relation to their health that they face.

“Financial and benefits advice is therefore a vital service to help them and It is only because of the generosity of our supporters that we are able to provide services like these.”

Anyone who needs the services of Herefordshire CAB can contact them on 0844 826 9685 or call in at one of their offices. For more information see www.herefordshirecab.org.uk .