Gill starts out on the road

Our new Benefits Advisor Gill Aston has started out on the road on board HAD's Mobile Equipment Service 'Ivanhoe'.

The award-winning county-wide outreach service, run in conjunction with Age Concern Herts, has just been given a big boost, having just secured a three-year funding deal via the National Lottery’s Big Lottery Fund.

The service was originally launched in May 2005 and operates from HAD’s mobile equipment lorry ‘Ivanhoe’. In its first year it helped more than 7,000 people unsure how to claim benefits entitled to them A year later it received an award in the National Information Forum’s annual Getting the Message Across Awards.

Now, after an eight-month wait while new funding was secured, the service is back on the road with new Benefits Outreach Advisor Gill Aston on board.

Gill, from Welwyn Garden City, took up her new role in January, after previously working for St Albans District Council.

As well as housing the benefits advice service ‘Ivanhoe’ has a huge range of equipment for disabled and elderly people with Drivers/Independent Living Advisors Paul Robinson and Pauline Jones giving expert and friendly advice.

“I’m already amazed at the public’s awareness of the service and ‘Ivanhoe’ in general,” Gill, pictured here on the right with Pauline and Paul, said. “People all over the county flock to see us on the lorry and I’m really impressed with the knowledge of the staff on board.”

The service visits town centres and supermarket car parks throughout the county with St Albans City Centre and Hemel Hempstead proving particularly popular.

“We only started visiting the new St Albans site last year and it’s in a great spot – in the pedestrian area outside the Town Hall,” Paul Robinson explained. “We’ve also started visiting Waltham Cross and Asda in Watford,” he added.

Ivanhoe is a member of the BHTA.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ‘IVANHOE’

Opening times: 10.30 am – 3pm

Please telephone before visiting Ivanhoe to confirm times and venues.

BALDOCK Tesco car park – March 17, May 19, July 21, Sept 15, Nov 17.
BERKHAMSTED Opposite Police Station – Feb 7, March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 3, Aug 7, Sept 4, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4 .
BISHOP’S STORTFORD Loading bay adjacent to Methodist Church – Feb 28, March 27, April 24, May 29, June 26, July 31, Aug 28, Sept 25, Oct 30, Nov 27, Dec 18.
BOREHAMWOOD Tesco car park – Feb 12, March 11, April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8, Aug 12, Sept 9, Oct 11, Nov 11, Dec 9.
BUNTINGFORD Outside St Peters Church, Market Hill – April 17, June 19, July 17, Oct 23.
CHESHUNT Brookfield Centre, in between M & S and Tesco’s – Feb 8, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, Aug 8, Sept 12, Oct 10, Nov 14, Dec 12.
HARPENDEN outside Nationwide in High Street – March 3, July 7, Sept 22.
HATFIELD Asda Store, Town Centre – Feb 18, April 21, June 16, Aug 18, Oct 20, Dec 15.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD Marlowes Centre, adjacent to Boots and WH Smith – Feb 20, March 19, April 16th, May 21, June 18, July 16, Aug 20, Sept 17, Oct 15, Nov 19, Dec 17.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD Asda, in car park – Feb 4, April 7, June 2, Aug 4, Oct 6.
HERTFORD Bircherley Green, opposite W H Smith – Feb 13, March 12, April 9, June 11, July 9, Aug 13, Sept 10, Oct 8, Nov 12, Dec 10.
HERTFORD Ware Road Resource Centre, 1pm – 3pm – June 30, Sept 1, Oct 24, Nov 20, Dec 23.
HITCHIN In Market Square – March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 4, Aug 1, Sept 5, Oct 3, Nov 7, Dec 5.
HODDESDON Opposite Library in Town Centre – Feb 6, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2, Aug 6, Sept 3, Oct 1, Nov 5, Dec 3.
LETCHWORTH Leys Ave next to W H Smith – Feb 14, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12, July 10, Aug 14, Sept 11, Oct 9, Nov 13, Dec 11.
RICKMANSWORTH Outside Watersmeet Theatre – Feb 25, April 28, June 23, July 28, Sep 29, Nov 24.
ROYSTON Tesco, in car park – Feb 26, March 25, Apr 29, May 27, June 24, July 29, Aug 26, Sep 30, Oct 28, Nov 25.
ST ALBANS City Centre, outside Town Hall – Feb 11, March 10, April 14, May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug 11, Sep 8, Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8.
ST ALBANS Morrison, in car park – Feb 29, March 28, April 25, May 30, June 27, July 25, Aug 29, Sept 26, Oct 31, Nov 28.
STEVENAGE Asda, in car park – Feb 27, Mar 26, April 30, May 28, June 25, July 30, Aug 27, Sept 24, Oct 29, Nov 26.
STEVENAGE Resource Centre, Chells Way, 10am-12 – June 30, Sept 1, Oct 24, Nov 20, Dec 23.
TRING Church Square – 10.30am – 2.30pm* – Feb 15, April 18, June 20, July 18, Aug 15, Sept 19, Oct 17, Nov 21, Dec 19.
WALTHAM CROSS Eleanor Cross – Feb 22, Apr 23, May 23, July 23, Aug 22, Oct 22.
WARE Tudor Square – March 20, May 22, July 24, Sep 18, Oct 16.
WATFORD Tesco, by cash machines – Feb 19, March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug 19, Sept 16, Oct 21, Nov 18, Dec 16.
WATFORD Asda, in car park – March 31, April 22, July 22, Sept 23, Oct 27, Dec 22.
WELWYN GARDEN CITY Howardsgate, opposite Specsavers – Feb 5, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug 5, Sept 2, Oct 7, Nov 4, Dec 2.

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