Julie Goodyear MBE Launches New Information Service

Date published: 07 April 2004

Julie Goodyear MBE launched Rochdale Council's Money Advice and Consumer Information Service on Wednesday 7 April 2004.

The new service will work with local schools, colleges, businesses, housing associations and community groups to help them to raise the public's awareness of consumer, finance and debt issues.

Representatives from local organisations attended the launch event at Rochdale Town Hall.

Local actress, Julie Goodyear MBE, who is best known for her role as Bet Lynch in Coronation Street, opened the event. She spoke about some of the soap opera's characters - past and present - who have experienced financial problems, and how they could have dealt with these problems differently had they been better informed about consumer and debt issues.

Rochdale's Mayor Sultan Ali chaired the event. He introduced speakers from the Citizens' Advice Bureau, the Legal Services Commission, Rochdale Council's Trading Standards Department and the Money Advice and Consumer Information Service. Jim Dobbin MP also made a speech.

Susan Speight, Debt and Consumer Education Officer, said, "Our new service is different from other similar services because we focus on prevention rather than cure.

We aim to provide information about consumer, debt and finance issues so that individuals are less likely to require legal advice or to get into debt."

The Money Advice and Consumer Information Service has produced a guide that includes information on consumer rights, using credit, prioritising and managing debts and budgeting. Copies of the guide will be sent out to various groups and agencies later this month.

The Money Advice and Consumer Information Service is funded until 31st March 2006 by the Community Legal Service and is a joint initiative between the Councils' Trading Standards Department and Advice Service and the Citizens' Advice Bureau.