In September 1939, Citizens Advice Reading (CAR) was established as one of the original 20 branches of the Citizens Advice Bureau, created to provide emergency assistance at the onset of the Second World War.

Primarily staffed by volunteers, our early efforts were focused on offering guidance from public buildings and private homes, helping individuals navigate the financial strain caused by reduced household incomes due to conscription, lost ration books, and evacuations. We also supported those facing homelessness due to bombings and assisted in locating missing relatives and prisoners of war.

Throughout our history, CAR has remained a steadfast presence during challenging times. We’ve weathered a world war, recession, funding cuts, significant changes to legislation, state benefits, the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to our mission: providing free, confidential advice to help people overcome their problems and advocating for change on critical issues when their voices need to be heard.

As a local independent charity, we rely heavily on the dedication of our incredible volunteers, as well as the generous support we receive through funding and donations. This support enables us to continue offering the high-quality advice that can make a life-changing difference. So far this year, we’ve been able to assist nearly 4,500 people.

To mark this significant milestone, Citizens Advice Reading has partnered with Nicely Done Productions to create a short film that captures the essence of our service and the people who make it possible.

Citizens Advice Reading CEO Tina Stevenson said:

“It was a delight to collaborate with the Nicely Done team, who have truly captured our essence with this film. It beautifully showcases the dedication of the incredible Citizens Advice Reading team to the service we provide. This is a perfect way to celebrate 85 years of an outstanding local service, and I couldn’t be more proud.”.

Nicely Done Producer/Owner Jay Slater commented:

‘Being a locally based production company for the last 8 years, it’s great to be able to support such a critical part of the local community.’

If you’re curious about who Citizens Advice Reading are, what they do, or if you’re interested in volunteering or donating, they invite you to watch this short film and visit the CAR website for more information.