Citizens Advice BANES has been appointed Leslie Redwood, the former head of business development and partnerships at Visit Bath, as its new CEO.
The charity this year celebrates providing a range of trusted help, support and advice to Bath and North East Somerset residents.
With Leslie at the helm it is looking forward to continuing its work of recent years providing free, confidential, high-quality impartial advice.
Leslie Redwood, who was also the founding director of the Bath BID (Business Improvement District), said: “We operate in a time of vastly increasing need across the region and country and the challenges for our charity around debt, housing, welfare, employment, consumer and legal advice are ever increasing against a background of reducing ability to fund and support the service from the local authority.
“Therefore, the need is ever greater to tell our story in a much clearer way and to secure more partnership and funding for the charity for the benefit of all of the residents of BANES.
“I call on businesses, residents, our other partners and the local authority to dig deep and provide whatever extra direct funding and support that they are able to give for the benefit of the residents, communities and neighbourhoods of BANES for this 80th year of our charity, and indeed for many years to come.”
Outgoing Citizens Advice BANES director Gill Whitehead said it had been a privilege to work with Citizens Advice in BANES in a variety of roles for more than 12 years.
“My five years as director have been an interesting time with many changes to the law, the benefits system and the economic climate, which have affected local people and particularly the most vulnerable amongst them.
“As a local charity, our partnerships with other organisations have developed to put us in an even stronger position to work together to help residents find a way forward in difficult times. I’m confident that Les will continue to provide great leadership to our excellent team of staff and volunteers through the challenging times ahead.”
Pictured: Gillian Whitehead and Leslie Redwood outside Citizens Advice BANES’ office in Edgar Buildings
