Our history
Citizens Advice was set up in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War. Volunteer advisors, all over the country, helped with war time struggles such as homelessness, missing relatives, evacuation and lost ration books.
Citizens Advice was set up in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War. Volunteer advisors, all over the country, helped with war time struggles such as homelessness, missing relatives, evacuation and lost ration books.
Over the next few decades Citizens Advice grew and grew, continuing to be a crucial service, as the country experienced a lack of housing, recessions and changes to the benefit system, with people able to drop in for advice in their local town’s bureau.
In 2019, Citizens Advice celebrated its 80th Birthday with a record 29 million visits to our online advice website. During the lock downs of the Coronavirus pandemic, the service continued to adapt to new challenges. By expanding the already established phone, webchat and digital advice services and reaching out to people of all age groups who may never have needed Citizens Advice before, more people were helped than ever.
Advisers working from a converted horse box in 1942
Colchester Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice Colchester first opened its doors on 4th December 1939, months after the start of the Second World War, and has since worked continuously to support the people of Colchester and surrounding areas. A newspaper report on the opening of our office quoted A.T. Austing (Librarian) as saying that the Citizens Advice Bureau (as we were then known) ‘…is prepared as far as possible to give information and advice on any of the difficulties which the people of Colchester face during these difficult times.’ Today this still rings true.
Originally located in the library, after various moves including 10 years at 32 Crouch Street we can now be found in The Octagon Building, 28 Middleborough.
In 2019 we celebrated our 80th Anniversary of giving information, advice and support in Colchester and we intend to support and enable the people of Colchester for many years to come.
Citizens Advice Colchester remains staffed by a wonderful team of volunteers and staff who are committed to making life better for local residents by giving free, confidential, independent advice that can be relied on. With a growing team and an ever increasing breadth of services, we are ready for the next 80 years and the challenges they will undoubtedly bring!
What we do
Our volunteers and staff give high quality, independent, information and advice: over the phone; face to face or by email on a huge range of subjects.
