A Stevenage-based advocacy charity is holding an open day so voluntary organisations can ‘shout about’ a wide variety of support services on offer.

POhWER will be hosting Shout About It at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre for the first time on Friday, September 5.

The free event will see around 50 organisations – including Headway Hertfordshire, Herts Society for the Blind, MS Society and Guide Dogs for the Blind – set up stalls, providing information and advice to the general public.

On the day visitors will be able to find out more about the work of POhWER, which stands for People of Hertfordshire Want Equal Rights and was founded in 1996.

A group of disabled people from Hertfordshire were frustrated by how professionals were running their lives so decided to form the organisation which enables people from all walks of life to freely speak up and have their voices heard.

The charity now works at a national level but last year supported more than 5,000 people from across Hertfordshire from its base in Primett Road.

Founding POhWER member and event organiser Judith Smart said: “It has been a very tough couple of years in the voluntary sector, and this event is going to be put on to ‘shout about’ the excellent work and services voluntary organisations offer in our local community.”

The charity’s community development assistant Glyn Doggett added: “We are a national charity but we don’t often get the opportunity or have the budget to promote ourselves in Hertfordshire, so we are really hoping this event will help to get the word out there about what we do and also about the many other charities and organisations we work with locally.”

The event at the venue in Lytton Way runs from 11am to 4pm.

For more visit www.pohwer.net or call 0300 456 2370.