WE are a community-based charity covering Redditch and Bromsgrove and the surrounding areas.

Our aim is to protect the rights of vulnerable people in the community - those who have physical or learning disabilities, older people or those who suffer mental health problems - to ensure they regain control of their lives by being heard.

Recently, we have experienced a 40 per cent increase in the amount of vulnerable people who are being referred to us. This shows that more and more people are becoming aware of the support we offer.

However without the help of local people our resources are becoming stretched. We would like to use your letters page to appeal for volunteers to help us help those that desperately need help and prevent them from being isolated, excluded or neglected.

We would very much like to hear from anyone who is interested in becoming an advocate or can help us with fund-raising.

The time needed from a volunteer is very flexible and is dependant on the volunteer's other commitments and can be as little as an hour a week.

We provide training, support and pay out-of-pocket expenses.

If any of your readers would like to have a chat about how they can help, please call Sally, Jan or Jeanette on 01527 520809 or e-mail us at:

advocacy@bromsgrove-redditch.fsnet.co.uk

Bromsgrove and

Redditch Advocacy Group