What does it mean to lead with heart? For Pete Williams, Chair of Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire, it starts with listening. It continues with courage. And it shows up every day in how Citizens Advice is working differently to support our community.
Pete Williams didn’t come from a community sector background. After a successful career in business, he wanted to give back. A simple Google search led him to Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire, where he joined as a trustee in 2018. By 2022, Pete had become Chair of Trustees, and with that role came a deep desire to do things differently.
He credits Our Future North East Lincolnshire with helping shape his leadership approach. Through Our Future’s Sidney Sussex Civic Leadership retreat and community events, Pete began to rethink what real impact looks like.
“This is all about relationships—how you work with people and build trust. You can’t make massive change alone. It’s always about a group of people coming together.”
That mindset became the foundation of Citizens Advice’s new strategy, built around three key principles:
Keep matters human
Collaborate strategically
Be brave
Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire is much more than a help desk. It’s a lifeline.
They provide professional, free, and confidential support in areas including:
Debt and budgeting
Housing and tenancy issues
Benefits and income
Immigration advice
Employment and legal guidance
Their team includes specialist advisers with decades of experience, as well as highly trained volunteers who offer general advice to anyone in need. They also support other local groups by offering guidance when those organisations don’t have in-house expertise.
Under Pete’s leadership, and with support from Our Future, Citizens Advice NEL has stepped beyond its traditional role. It has become more open, more engaged, and more collaborative.
Recent developments include:
New partnerships with groups like NEL4Heroes, leading to veteran-specific advice services
A trustee board that now includes representatives from grassroots organisations
Shared projects in development with local community groups to co-fund and co-deliver services
“It’s given me the confidence to go out and look to work with others—not just focus on our own service.”
Behind every piece of advice is a real person navigating a difficult moment. Citizens Advice doesn’t just offer answers. It offers dignity, options, and a way forward.
Whether someone is facing eviction, fleeing domestic abuse, struggling with benefits, or navigating the cost-of-living crisis, this organisation provides support that can change a life.
And now, through renewed partnerships and community collaboration, they’re changing more lives than ever.
Citizens Advice North East Lincolnshire continues to grow its reach, not just as a service provider but as a civic leader. It stands as a trusted voice in Grimsby’s regeneration journey and plays an active role in shaping more connected, more resilient neighbourhoods.
Pete’s leadership, and the values guiding the Citizens Advice team, show what’s possible when we lead with care, work together, and stay brave.
To learn more about Citizens Advice NEL or get involved, visit: here