After 27 years as a volunteer adviser with Citizens Advice Mendip, Alison Cholmondeley of Wells has decided to retire, and friends and colleagues marked her long service with a celebration at their staff and volunteers' meeting on January 10 at the Portway Annexe.

She has seen a lot of change in Citizens Advice over the years. When she joined everything was paper-based and face-to-face drop-ins. Now, the service is delivered via the phone and internet, with face-to-face meetings only provided when needed. Alison is passionate about helping people access the service, as they are often vulnerable.

Born in Suffolk she was brought up in Devon. After being awarded a scholarship Alison attended a girls' boarding school, Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire, where she mixed with people from very wealthy families.

At home though she saw real poverty in the slum parish where her father served as the Anglican priest. The contrast between these two worlds of privilege and hardship made a profound impression on her.

As a result, as she said: 'I felt very lucky in my life, and this made me feel a responsibility to contribute and justify my existence'.

Later she trained as a psychiatric nurse working at the Mendip Hospital in Wells.

Since the pandemic Alison has also volunteered with Wells Community Network.

So how does she sum up her time volunteering with Citizens Advice?

"It's been a huge joy and so satisfying. It's an extraordinary thing to put yourself forward to do, to put your own personal views to one side and also to work with a fantastic team.

"I have seen how Citizens Advice gives people confidence in being able to sort out their problems. I have also witnessed how the organisation has developed as a force to be listened to by policymakers. And it has always made me feel I've been doing a worthwhile job."

Paying tribute to Alison's dedicated service, Ian Byworth, CEO of Citizens Advice Mendip, said: "Volunteers are the lifeblood of our services at Citizens Advice Mendip - without them we couldn't advise and support so many people in Mendip.

"Alison has been an incredible inspiration to many others with her commitment, giving up her free time to help others for almost 30 years! We need new volunteers to come forward and help continue the great work that Alison has been doing.'