Poverty charity Elizabeth Finn Care is calling on people to help those who have fallen below the poverty line.

In the past year the charity has provided financial support to nearly 3,500 people who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own.

More volunteers are needed to visit those already receiving regular assistance once a year and those applying for help for the first time to establish exactly what financial support they need.

Volunteer visitors act as ambassadors for Elizabeth Finn Care and after visiting the home of each applicant they write a report on their visit for the case team.

Angela Bailey, Volunteer Support Manager for Elizabeth Finn Care, said: “Volunteer visitors help Elizabeth Finn Care maintain face-to-face contact with the people we help and those applying for help. Each person has unique experiences and needs and our visitors are trained to find out how best Elizabeth Finn Care can help. They are closely supported by our case department and their role is invaluable to the charity.”

To see what some of our volunteers think, visit the Our Volunteers section of this site. To find out more about becoming a volunteer visitor for Elizabeth Finn Care visit www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk or call 0208 834 9200.

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For information, photographs and interviews, please contact:  Laura Johnston, Press  Officer.
Telephone: 020 8834 9260
Laura.johnston@elizabethfinn.org.uk  Hythe House, 200 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7NL.

•         Elizabeth Finn Care has been accredited with the ‘Investing in Volunteers’ endorsement from national volunteering agency, Volunteering England.
•         Elizabeth Finn Care is a charity that supports people struggling to cope with sudden or unexpected changes in their circumstances.
•         Since being founded in 1897, the charity has given away over £130m to people in need In 2009/2010 over 3564 British and Irish citizens were given grants totalling £3,669,920 by Elizabeth Finn Care.
•         Turn2us was founded by Elizabeth Finn Care in 2007, and merged into Elizabeth Finn Group in October 2009.
•         Turn2us helps people in financial need access the money available to them – from welfare benefits, grants and other financial help – through its comprehensive website (www.turn2us.org.uk) and freephone helpline.
•         Elizabeth Finn Homes Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elizabeth  Finn Care and operates 10 care homes  across England.
•         The Group has won many awards  including was awarded the Investing in  Volunteers Award in 2009 and the Third  Sector Excellence Award 2008 for Innovation  in Grant Making (Elizabeth Finn Care),  The Helpline Association Quality Standards  Accreditation and the Shaw Trust and Plain  English Accreditation both in 2009 (Turn2us)  as well as numerous awards for its  Homes.

•         A high level of interpersonal skills.
•         The ability to write clear, concise reports (although no specific level of education is required)
•         The ability to remain empathetic but objective, reporting only on what is witnessed and stated to you
•         High-quality administrative and organisational skills
•         Affinity with and experience of charitable work, particularly that of Elizabeth Finn Care
•         Access  to email and post for communicating with the Casework Department
•         Access to transport links