Citizens Advice Woking has launched a crowdfunding campaign with the aim of raising £100,000 to help preserve at least some of its services.

CAW has been part of the local community for more than 80 years, providing free, confidential and independent advice, but a series of deep funding cuts by Woking Borough Council has raised the threat of severe reductions in its vital services to its clients in the local community.

Over the last year, CAW has supported 7,000 local clients, 10% of the Woking adult population, and helped them with an income gain of over £1m. The demand for its services is increasing all the time, particularly because of the continuing cost of living crisis.

Due to debt-laden Woking Borough Council's financial crisis, CAW’s community grant (currently £189,000) is being stopped from April 1 2024 onwards. The council is providing £30,000 from the central government UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to help support CAW’s transition to a new business model, but this must be used for transforming the organisation and its sources of funding, not for day-to-day support for CAW’s clients.

CAW is a local charity, not funded by central government, and the ceasing of its grant represents a major threat to the vital services provided to Woking residents, including many of the borough's most vulnerable residents.

As Laurence Oates, chair of CAW, said: “Our goal with the crowdfunding campaign is to raise £100,000, and we need your support to achieve it.

“It would mean being able to keep providing at least some of our much-needed services, and particularly help for people with debt, housing issues, and accessing welfare benefits.

“We are asking people to donate whatever they are able to. Every little will help someone in the borough and will be hugely appreciated.”

Donations can be made at https://citizensadvicewoking.enthuse.com/profile