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A new collaboration aimed at helping local residents get the advice they need in one place at one time will become permanent following a successful pilot led by Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) this summer.

The High Wycombe Community Advice Hub adopts a ‘one stop shop’ model whereby those in the greatest need can walk in without booking an appointment and then receive advice from one or more advice-giving organisations present on the day on topics including benefits, bills, careers, employment, family, food, housing and money.

Inspiration was drawn from Aylesbury Vineyard Church which runs a similar initiative in Aylesbury led by social housing provider Fairhive, which participated in the pilot. Stakeholders involved going forward will include Buckinghamshire Council’s Helping Hand, Citizens Advice, the Family Information Service, One Can Trust, Wycombe Women’s Aid, Alternatives to Conflict, the Oasis Partnership, Christians Against Poverty, and HSBC. Students from the University’s Law School will also continue supporting the hub through volunteering.

During the pilot, most attendees needed advice on at least two topics with three individuals having six and two having seven, showing the complexity of challenges being faced following the pandemic and during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. The majority of attendees live in areas identified by Buckinghamshire Council’s Opportunity Bucks programme to tackle disadvantage.

Following six sessions on Wednesday mornings over the summer, 96% of attendees said the advice they received was helpful and the same number said they would recommend the service to friends or family.

Going forward, the sessions will now be on the last Wednesday of every month from 9:30am-12pm with the next session on Wednesday 30October from 9:30am-12pm in the University’s new Beacon building – formerly known as Lata Lata – which it is now leasing from Buckinghamshire Council to undertake clinic-style activities for the benefit of the local community.

Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor, Buckinghamshire New University, said: “As one of the flagship projects of our new Public and Community Engagement Strategy, our community advice hub epitomises the type of intervention we want to embed in our local community. With the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis causing additional and often unseen hardship to many residents, co-created initiatives like this are imperative as we approach winter. Thank you to all of the stakeholders, colleagues and students who have been involved and will be going forward.”

Arif Hussain, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "Buckinghamshire Council's Helping Hand team regularly attends the High Wycombe Community Advice Hub, to provide advice and support to residents on low incomes or experiencing a financial emergency. It’s one of the many ways the council’s support team reaches out to the local community and these monthly face-to-face sessions are really beneficial to the people we’re helping as it brings the various organisations to the same place at the same time. We thank Buckinghamshire New University for facilitating these important sessions.

“The council’s Helping Hand service is there to support Buckinghamshire residents facing hardship and has managed nearly 2,500 applications since April of this year alone. I do want to remind people that this help is there particularly as we move into the winter months – please check the council’s website for information about how to contact us.”

The University’s Public and Community Engagement strategy launched in April this year. Several community projects are underway, including a new sober running club, , and a staff volunteering scheme which has seen various community organisations benefit, including Hairoun Day Centre and Holmer Green Youth Club. BNU is also ‘on track’ to reopen the new community space at the Brunel Engine Shed in early 2025.

For further information, please contact Matthew Herring-Rogers, Head of Civic Engagement and Communications at Buckinghamshire New University matthew.rogers@bnu.ac.uk.