Volunteer retires after 27 years of assistance

AFTER 27 years as a volunteer adviser with Citizens Advice Mendip, Alison Cholmondeley of Wells has decided to retire, and friends and colleagues marked her long service with a celebration at their staff and volunteers’ meeting on January 10 at the Portway Annexe.

She has seen a lot of change in Citizens Advice over the years. When she joined everything was paper-based and face-toface drop-ins. Now, the service is delivered via the phone and internet, with face-to-face meetings only provided when needed. Alison is passionate about helping people access the service, as they are often vulnerable.

Born in Suffolk, she was brought up in Devon. After being awarded a scholarship Alison attended a private girls’ boarding school, Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire, where she mixed with people from very wealthy families. At home though she saw real poverty in the slum parish where her father served as the Anglican priest. The contrast between these two worlds of