We are celebrating after being awarded the Advice Quality Standard (AQS), a nationally recognised quality mark for organisations providing free, independent advice to members of the public.

We are delighted to have been awarded the AQS as it helps to show people across Coventry, as well as those funding our service, that we are working to the best possible professional standards.  Our team of staff and volunteers have worked very hard to achieve the AQS and our Trustee Board will be making sure that they maintain these high standards over the coming years.

The AQS is awarded by the national umbrella group, the Advice Services Alliance.  The ASA Director Lindsey Poole said: “The AQS is a tough benchmark to achieve, particularly in challenging times for the voluntary sector and our clients and we offer our congratulations to Coventry Independent Advice Service for so clearly making the grade.”

We will display the AQS logo proudly, joining a community of over 650 organisations across the country who hold the AQS.

If you’re still thinking about applying for our Caseworker vacancy, the application window closes at 2pm today!

Thanks to everyone who took a look, and to those of you who have applied so far. We will be in touch with shortlisted applicants later tomorrow.

Advice sessions at Spon Gate Children’s Centre (based in Spon Gate Primary School) will be back to normal from Friday 19th January 2018.  The boiler has now been fixed so the building is lovely and warm again!

The drop-in session (no appointment needed) starts at 9.30 am  and runs every Friday.

Details of all our advice sessions across the city can be found at www.covadvice.org.uk/advice

We reopen on Tuesday 2nd January with drop-in advice sessions at:

• Holbrooks Community Care Association (from 9:00am), and
• St Peters Centre, Hillfields (from 9:30am)

Our usual Tuesday session at Moat House Neighbourhood and Leisure Centre has unfortunately been cancelled due to staff availability. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Full details of all sessions running this week, and beyond, can be found at www.covadvice.org.uk/advice.

All the usual Foodbank Centres will be closed during Christmas week except:

• Wednesday 27th December, from 11.00 am until 1.00 pm, at St Oswald’s Foodbank, Jardine Crescent CV4 9NW
• Saturday 30th December, from 10.00 am until 12.00 noon, at Church of God of Prophecy, 23 Victoria Street CV1 5NA

Emergency boxes will be available at the four West Midlands fire stations over the Christmas week.  They are open 24 hours each day.  People in need of food can just turn up and ask for a food box.  The locations are:

• Binley Fire Station, Hipswell Highway
• Foleshill Fire Station, Foleshill Road
• Canley Fire Station, Fletchamstead Highway
• Temporary Coventry Fire Station, Foleshill Road (old Ambulance station near Halfords)

All our staff, volunteers and trustees would like to wish you a very happy Christmas period and all our best wishes for 2018.

Our advice service will be closed from 1pm on Friday 22nd December with most of our sessions reopening on Tuesday 2nd January.  For details of all our advice services in the new year, check our advice page.