Community centre makes ‘urgent appeal’ to save advice service

The Fitzrovia Community Centre in Foley Street has made an “urgent appeal” for donations to help it run a housing and welfare advice service — “a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in our community”.

Fitzrovia Advice Service has been run for nearly 50 years by the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association.

It has provided free, multi-lingual advice on benefits, housing, debt and fuel poverty to residents in Camden and Westminster facing financial hardship, insecure housing, disability, language barriers and mental-health challenges.

For most of that time it was run from the Neighbourhood Centre in Tottenham Street until it shut in June 2019.

The service restarted again with new funding in January 2021 as a telephone and email only service.

Then in 2024 it was run in partnership with the Fitzrovia Community Centre in Foley Street.

But funding for the project has again come to an end and the future of the project is now in doubt.

Fitzrovia Community Centre, which is a registered charity, now wants to take on the Advice Service and has raised some money but not sufficient to sustain the project.

“Despite our very best efforts, we have not yet secured enough funding,” says Donna Yay, director of the Community Centre.

“Without urgent support, this essential service may have to close.

“Every day, our advice workers help prevent evictions, resolve benefit problems, tackle unmanageable debt and support people struggling with rising energy costs.

“For many residents, this service is the difference between stability and crisis,” she says.

“We are seeking support from businesses and donors to help us bridge this urgent funding gap. Our immediate goal is to raise £12,000 — which is enough to sustain the service for at least the next three months during this crucial transition.

“All funds raised will go directly towards keeping the two advice workers employed, covering set-up costs, and ensuring the infrastructure is in place for the service to continue,” says Yay.

Visit the fundraising page where you can make a secure donation and watch a film about the importance of the Advice Service.

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