A VOLUNTARY group is crying out for people to help restart a ‘valuable’ welfare rights service.

Thursby Gardens Community Action Group ended the programme after Richard Chipps, chairman of the group, was diagnosed with Leukaemia and could not continue to run it.

The group in Colne Road, Burnley, deals with 500 people a week and provides support for those in need with filling out forms, attending tribunals and general benefits advice.

The centre, run by volunteers, is based at the former Colne Road library after the group took over the building in 2009.

Mr Chipps, 58, said it was heartbreaking to give up the service.

He said: “It was so difficult to start turning people away, it really was tough.

“Because of my health it’s hard to volunteer on a full-time basis and help everyone.

“We help so many people with a variety of different services and this was one of the biggest ones we had.

“It was vital, but it couldn’t be sustained.

“There needs to be people here who can give their time and dedication to those who come to us with nowhere else to turn.

“We have to source all our own money, we’re not given funds by external bodies.”

The action group also provide teaching English as a second language, IT and computer skills, painting as well as family history and drawing workshops.

It also provides free printing services and job seeking advice and phone use.

Support on a one-to-one basis became less and less frequent in the last 12 months because of an increased demand.

Mr Chipps said: “Its a service that needs to be up and running because we helped lots of people over the years and gone right through from filling forms, appeals and tribunals, we’ve made a difference to so many.

“If people were available, we could get it back on and get back with helping everyone again.

“It’s so difficult to turn someone away who has nowhere else to turn and you know you have the ability to help them but you cannot do it because of your health.

“There was too much pressure involved.”

The group are looking for volunteers to help out at the centre from Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, between 9.30am and 6pm with 3pm finishes on on Tuesday and Friday.

For more information contact www.thursbygarden.org.