During the World Cup 2006 reports of domestic violence to police forces in England and Wales rose on average by 25 per cent on England's match days. Domestic abuse can take several forms, ranging from physical and sexual to economical and emotional abuse.

Anyone concerned about domestic violence or who has become a victim should contact our Family Law Team on 01670 785 500 for free support and advice.

Liz Chadwick, chief executive of DAWN Advice, a social enterprise based in Seaton Burn which gives free telephone-based debt and legal advice to people throughout the UK, said more still needs to be done to help people living in rural areas as they continue to struggle financially following the recession.

The warning came as DAWN Advice announced a partnership with Five Lamps, also a social enterprise that, among other services, focuses on financial inclusion, offering personal loans and financial advice to housing tenants.

As part of the arrangement, DAWN Advice will be advising people to turn to Five Lamps for help if they are struggling to access affordable credit.

Liz added: "Loan sharks prey on people who are so desperate to make ends meet that they take on loans at exorbitant rates of interest. This can be a particular problem in rural areas, which have been hit worse than most by the economic downturn.

"We might be out of the recession now, but the effects will continue to be felt by individuals for years - as a society we must ensure people are not excluded from access to financial services just because they don't live in an urban area.

"We want to make sure that people who come to us for advice know that there is always a much better alternative than turning to loan sharks. This is why we are teaming up with Five Lamps, a like-minded organisation that has made a commitment to help people in rural areas."

Graeme Oram from Five Lamps added: "We are delighted to be in partnership with DAWN Advice - we want to be able to add an extra dimension to the levels of service that DAWN already provides when giving financial advice to people who need it most.

"Five Lamps has a strong ethos of being inclusive - everyone is welcome. We work with some of the hardest to engage people and those most excluded in society and we continue to offer our support to our customers for as long as they need it."

Established in 1998, DAWN Advice is a social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and a member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau.

The Five Lamps Organisation is one of the largest community-led social enterprises within the North East. Established in 1989 Five Lamps provides a holistic approach to economic and social renewal. Five Lamps is also a registered charity.

Anyone worried about issues at work or who may benefit from further debt advice should contact DAWN Advice on 01670 785 512.

Castle Morpeth Citizens Advice Bureau's MacMillan Project has helped cancer suffers, and their families, from across the area to access over £504,000 of vital financial support to relieve any existing or potential money concerns. 

Since its launch in 2007 the project, which is delivered through the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, has been supporting people  diagnosed with cancer and their families to easily access essential welfare benefits.

Liz Chadwick, Chief Executive of DAWN Advice which manages Castle Morpeth Citizens Advice Bureau, said: "Fighting cancer is a horrendous ordeal no matter what people's personal circumstances are and added pressures around money can only have further negative effects on their health, possibly hindering their recuperation.

"The benefits system is there to help exactly these people, but finding your way around it can be difficult at the best of times. We can help people by showing them where to go, who to speak to and can even help them fill in the right forms.

"Through the MacMillan Project we aim to support people affected by cancer by making them more aware of, and helping them to access, welfare benefits."

The welfare benefits which can be accessed through the MacMillan Project include employment and support allowance, carers allowance, disability living allowance and attendance allowance for the over 65s. The service can also offer help to people applying for a Macmillan Cancer Support grant which can be used to cover the costs of heating, extra clothing or even a much needed break.

Established in 1998, DAWN Advice is a social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and a member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Anyone living with cancer and who may benefit from additional financial support should contact David Philips at Castle Morpeth Citizens Advice Bureau on 01670 512 831.

As part of his new role Alistair, 38, from Amble, will manage the charity's payroll, cash flow and budgets as well as introducing a robust set of new financial procedures.

Alistair joins DAWN Advice after working on a number of temporary contacts over the previous two years, including a 12-month contract at Home Group and four months at One North East.

After struggling to find permanent work, he says he is pleased to be back in full-time employment and to be working for an organisation which provides vital support to so many people living in his local community.

Alistair said: "I was absolutely thrilled to join DAWN Advice - it has been a difficult two years since I was made redundant but I feel the experience will allow me to empathise better with our clients, as I've been through the same hardships that they are facing.

"I'm really looking forward to the different challenges which my new role at DAWN will offer me and to be part of such an experienced team."

Liz Chadwick, Chief Executive of DAWN Advice, added: "Alistair is already becoming a great asset to the company and we are extremely pleased to welcome him here - he brings with him a wealth of knowledge of working in finance.

"Also, we have found many of our clients feel more comfortable dealing with a team of passionate people who really understand what they are going through, so the difficulties that Alistair himself experienced in securing permanent work will in many ways stand him in good stead," Liz added.

Outside of work Alistair enjoys spending time with and caring for his young family and is a keen cricketer and badminton player. 

Established in 1998, DAWN Advice is a social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and a member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Three new specialist telephone debt advisers have joined the existing team of 27 expert debt advisers at the bureau as part of an integrated new regional CAB debt advice service launched last week.

It means an extra 8,000 people across Cumbria and the North East will be able to get the free, independent, specialist money advice they need. Northumberland's new debt adviser is expected to take on an additional 550 cases a year.

The new service is being set up with £1.5 million from the Northern Rock Foundation to fund face-to-face and telephone debt advice for people in facing financial crisis. The extra money will fund three full-time telephone debt caseworkers and 12 full-time face-to-face debt caseworkers for two years. 

Liz Chadwick, Chief Executive of DAWN Advice, said: "The recession has had a big impact in our area and we have seen a sharp increase in demand for advice on debt and other related issues as a result. This much-needed funding boost will help us to reach more people across the North East and Cumbria who are struggling, to make sure they receive the practical and personalised advice they need."

Set up in 1998, DAWN Advice is a Northumberland-based social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and will now become a Member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau. It offers advice and information on a number of issues including debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits and family law.

Anyone living in the North East and Cumbria who is concerned about their finances should contact the debt advice service on 0300 33 33 44 5. Lines are open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.

DAWN Advice is based at Seaton Burn - it's a regional and national telephone advice service offering free legal advice covering five key areas of social law including debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits and family law.

We pride ourselves on the quality legal advice which we offer to people in Northumberland. Many of our employees are financial and legal experts, including fully-trained solicitors, who provide advice to people who may not otherwise be able to afford it.

How long have you lived in Northumberland?
I have lived in Northumberland for 13 years. I'm originally from Teesside and moved to Bedlington in 1997, then over to Morpeth in 2002, where I now live with my wife and three children.

What is your favourite view in Northumberland?
My favourite view in Northumberland is Bolam Lake, near Morpeth. It's an ideal way to spend an hour walking round with the children and our dogs.

What is your favourite building in Northumberland?
My favourite building is Linden Hall. Apart from spending many enjoyable social evenings there I also enjoy reading about its history, which dates back to the early 1800s.

What is your favourite Northumberland pub or restaurant?
That would be my local pub, the Dyke Neuk at Meldon. Having been educated in real ale by my father-in-law, it's an ideal place to try out new beers whilst listening to the lively banter of the locals.

What do you like the most about Northumberland?
I love that everything is on your doorstep here. We have the countryside which is ideal for my family's passion for horse riding, the city centre for shopping and the coast for when the sun shines (occasionally).

What would you do to improve the county?
To help improve Northumberland I would push for a more joined-up approach to services in the county, particularly around excluded social groups and people living in rural areas. There are lots of excellent projects going on across Northumberland but finding somewhere central to access them all is sometimes a difficult task.

DAWN Advice is involved in many projects to provide assistance to residents who need free legal help on a range of matters, but also those who need educating in managing and controlling their finances. We come into contact with other organisations that have similar objectives, but often by chance. We always try to establish working links with them, publishing our partnerships on our website and circulating their details to our advisors and caseworkers who work throughout Northumberland.

Our family solicitors sit on many Family Panels throughout the county - these give us access to vulnerable clients who need urgent help and also allow DAWN Advice to promote our services.

DAWN Advice will work alongside the region's Citizen Advice Bureaux to offer additional financial advice services throughout the north with particular focus on people living in rural areas.

Liz Chadwick, Chief Executive of DAWN Advice, said: "Over the previous 12 months we have seen requests for advice jump by 18.4 per cent while debt issues have soared by 20.2 per cent. Rural communities appear to have been particularly affected as there is a distinct lack of access to advice services in these areas - leaving residents in desperate need of extra support. We're confident we can help meet this increased demand."

A new telephone advice line will be established as part of the £1.5million scheme, which will allow DAWN Advice to create three new specialist telephone adviser roles to manage the scheme.

Extra face-to-face services, handled by the Citizen Advice Bureaux, will also be introduced. Both services will be funded through the Northern Rock Foundation's Managing Money Programme.

Liz added: "The programme will also launch a new pilot scheme that will see two video booths set up in remote areas across the region which will allow people to access advice using video conferencing technology.

"Although video conferencing may represent a new challenge for us - its success will open up an entirely new way to deliver advice services. Most people prefer to receive face-to-face advice but can not always travel to their nearest town; this aspect of the programme will allow people facing these difficulties to take advantage of debt advice regardless of where they live or their capacity to travel."

As a result of the new programme every channel of debt advice delivery will be integrated to offer greater choice to clients and to ensure that people access debt advice quicker than through present resources.

Penny Wilkinson, Chief Executive at Northern Rock Foundation, said: "The turn of the year is a particularly difficult time of year for people with debt problems and in the current financial climate we know there will be a lot of families in the region struggling to make ends meet. Our Managing Money Programme aims to help people in debt, or have other financial problems and needs."

Alongside the three new positions at DAWN Advice the funding from the Northern Rock Foundation will also provide 12 debt advisers at Citizen Advice Bureaux across the region, who will aim to help 8,000 people in two years.

Set up in 1998, DAWN Advice is a Northumberland-based social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and will now become a Member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau. It offers advice and information on a number of issues including debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits and family law.

Christmas 2010 may be 11 months away but Liz Chadwick, Chief Executive of DAWN Advice, says it's never too early to start saving for next Christmas to avoid any unnecessary debts.

Liz said people should still be putting an emphasis on saving despite the UK emerging from recession this week. She added: "As the majority of people are still paying off Christmas 2009, and will be for some months to come, the next festive period is the last thing on their minds. However, appropriate planning and saving can help many families reduce future debts while taking away some of the stress which is often caused through financial worries.

"Saving through a credit union offers an easy and convenient way for people to save as you can set aside as much or as little each month to suit your circumstances."

As well as the usual costs associated with December, January soon became one of the coldest months for three decades so many people living in the region will see their heating bills sky-rocket - creating extra debts which many may not have anticipated.

Liz added: "While advising people to save large sums of money is extremely unrealistic in the current climate - saving smaller sums through a local credit union will soon start to build up, creating a slight cushion should unexpected bills arrive or which could be used to help make family celebrations more affordable."

As credit unions are not-for-profit organisations and owned by the people who hold accounts with them, as opposed to high-street banks and other financial institutions, customers know that their money is being held in their best interests. In addition to this many credit unions exist to further community development, allowing people to support their own community through simply banking with their local union.

Established in 1998, DAWN Advice is a social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and a member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Anyone worried about debt or who may benefit from further financial advice such contact DAWN Advice's Debt Team as soon as possible on 01670 785 512.

Emma Davidson, 37 from Northumberland, has joined DAWN Advice as a Housing Solicitor. Prior to her appointment she worked as a senior partner at a private practice in Morpeth.

Her move to DAWN shows that the charity's work is being noticed by some of the brightest talents in the region.

She said: "In my previous role my time was spread across a number of different tasks and clients. Now I'm settled into DAWN Advice I am really enjoying the opportunity to focus my energies on those clients who need extra support with housing issues."

Born and raised in the area, Emma studied Music at Newcastle University before deciding upon a career in Law, which she studied at the College of Law in York. Upon returning home to the North East she worked hard to reach the top levels of her field, and so brings a great deal of expertise to her new role.

"I am really enjoying working at DAWN, it is so nice to be surrounded by such a big team of dedicated people. It's a great feeling to be working at a company which provides such comprehensive social welfare services to people who really need them, and I can honestly say that I have never worked with such an incredible and highly skilled team that really cares about their work," she said.

Liz Chadwick, Chief Executive of DAWN Advice, said: "I'm thrilled that Emma has chosen to come and join us, and that we have found such an enthusiastic and committed new colleague. Coming from such a senior position she brings with her a wealth of professional experience which she has already put to good use. I am confident that as we move forward in 2010 she will play a large part in extending our services even further throughout the community."

In her spare time Emma continues her passion for music by playing the flute and going to gigs. She also enjoys reading comics and graphic novels.

Set up in 1998, DAWN Advice is a Northumberland-based social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and will now become a Member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau. It offers advice and information on a number of issues including debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits and family law.

Liz Chadwick, chief executive of DAWN Advice, said seasonal issues such as excessive alcohol consumption and money worries are all major triggers in domestic abuse cases.

She said the freezing conditions have forced people to spend more time indoors, making the problem worse, and urged the region's victims of domestic violence to seek help.

She said: "The festive season is supposed to be a happy and joyous time for families, however sometimes the immense pressures of Christmas can be all too much and we see a sharp increase in domestic violence rates throughout December and January.

"Anyone who has suffered domestic abuse over the Christmas holidays shouldn't feel they need to suffer alone and should seek help immediately. Through our family law team victims can access invaluable legal advice to help them change their situation."

DAWN Advice's family law solicitors meet clients on an emergency basis and offers advice on their available options, including court protection. If necessary an application for a Non Molestation Order will be made to the court to prevent abusers from pestering, harassing or intimidating their victims.

Liz added: "Domestic abuse is often hidden and victims can feel embarrassed or ashamed, however anyone can find themselves a victim of abuse and they need to know where to turn. National statistics state that while one in four women experience domestic violence, so do one in six men. By contacting us victims are making the important first step to improve their situation." 

To further support families facing domestic abuse, DAWN Advice works closely with a number of partner organisations, including Cease 24, Women's Health Advice Centre, sixtyeightythirty, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Domestic Violence Team at Northumbria Police, to ensure victims receive appropriate emotional support as well as legal help.

Based in North East England, DAWN Advice offers free, confidential and independent advice to people across the region and nationally on issues relating to housing, debt, employment, welfare benefits and family law.

Established in 1998, DAWN Advice is a social enterprise and a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and will now become a Member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Domestic abuse can take several forms, ranging from physical and sexual to economical and emotional abuse. Anyone concerned about domestic violence or has become a victim should contact the Family Law Team at DAWN Advice on 01670 785512.