DO you know someone who needs help kick-starting a business or climbing the career ladder? Then a group of leading Worcester business people wants to hear from you.

The Worcester Severn Rotary Club has launched a scheme to offer free advice to people who deserve a helping hand - but now they need city residents to nominate deserving cases.

The Faithful City club has more than 40 members and each is ready to donate their particular skills, services and advice within the local community, through its Help-at-Hand scheme.

Many have business and senior management backgrounds and now, with backing from the Evening News, they are challenging people to write in with ideas that could help someone to overcome obstacles in their life.

Peter Bazley, president of Worcester Severn, said it could help someone's friend, relative or neighbour to achieve long-held ambitions.

"It could be anything from advice on how to put together a successful funding bid or even how to begin starting up a new business," he said.

"We know we're not miracle workers, but we want to offer our skills, knowledge and experience to see how we can help deserving cases within the local community."

Organising transport for someone with mobility problems or helping someone trace a long-lost family member are other suggestions that the club would also be willing to consider.

Likewise the club also wants to hear from any people who may need advice on interview technique or how to construct a CV for a job they have set their heart on.

Alternatively, they may be thinking of launching into a second career but would welcome the chance of talking things through first.

The Help-at-Hand scheme is being run as part of this year's worldwide Rotary theme of Lending a Hand.