The cost of living crisis is effecting every household, and whilst we all recognise that things are tough, there are things we can all do to help those who are struggling the most.

Cllr Tony Leech West Devon’s lead member for the cost of living said: ‘West Devon is known for having a good community spirit, with lots of community groups prepared to step up and help those people in need. We saw it during the pandemic and we are seeing it again now. But there are also things you can do as an individual if you want to reach out and help others.’

You could volunteer to Citizens Advice

Volunteering with Citizens Advice gives you the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of people in your local community.

If you enjoy working as part of a team, want to meet new people, enhance your cv or learn new skills then why not apply to volunteer with your local Citizens Advice office!

Citizens Advice volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, and volunteer for different reasons. Volunteer roles are varied, challenging and rewarding and Citizen’s Advice volunteers really enjoy being able to make a valuable contribution and a positive impact on people’s lives.

As a volunteer at Citizens Advice you don’t need any specific qualifications or experience. You’ll need to be friendly and approachable and have a respect for views, values and cultures that are different to your own. Some roles may require you to have good IT skills, be a good listener, or have good written skills.

As a volunteer you’ll receive an introduction to the service and training for your role. You’ll have support and supervision throughout your time volunteering with us, and there are lots of opportunities for development.

Citizen’s Advice welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, including Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) volunteers, disabled volunteers, volunteers with physical and mental health conditions, LGBT+ and non-binary volunteers.

To find out more contact Citizen’s Advice here: https://ruraldevoncab.livevacancies.co.uk/#/job/details/20

If you have a second property – use our Ethical Letting Agent

SeaMoor Lettings is an ‘ethical’ lettings service run within the Council’s Housing Options team.  They are ethical’ because they work with landlords to ensure that the properties they offer to tenants are of a good standard and rented out at an ‘affordable’ rent.  Something that is very difficult to find right now! 

SeaMoor Lettings, charge a very low rate of commission to cover the services and they support tenants, and landlords, to ensure they are operating their tenancies legally and correctly.  As a result, most of their tenants remain in their homes long term, with several tenants being in the same property for 5-10 years!

The scheme was established to support local people to stay within South Hams and West Devon and to address the difficulty in finding affordable homes in the private rented sector. They have now expanded to meet the needs of refugees arriving in the UK, and offer their services outside of the South Hams and West Devon to support other councils to provide housing for refugees. 

If you would like to know more contact SeaMoor Lettings:  [email protected]

Come forward to join our Community Group Collaboration and Support

Are you a charity or community group or organisation who wants to support the residents of West Devon with the Cost of Living? Then come and join the regular Cost of Living Community Group. West Devon Borough Council is bringing these groups together to share information, collaboration and support each other to get the best help and advice to communities. If your group would like to join please email: [email protected]

Donate food to the foodbanks

Tin or beans, bag of pasta, toilet rolls and other essentials, even if you can space one or two items, they can make a big difference to a local family. Food banks are also grateful for cash donations, which helps them buy essential items that are not donated. There are lots of places locally where you can donate items:

Find your nearest food bank in West Devon — https://www.westdevon.gov.uk/article/8531/Foodbanks

Warm Spaces

Do you have a free event or a place that can provide a communal warm space where local people can gather together this winter? Let us know about your free warm spaces and can make sure that local people know where to come and how to access the space.

Email your warm space to: editorial@ tavistock-today.co.uk