The man who has been at the centre of a vital Hounslow advice service for more than 26 years is retiring.

More than 100 staff gathered last week to say a fond farwell to John Rowntree, who was due to step down from his role as service manager at the Citizens Advice Bureau in Hounslow today.

Mr Rowntree, 65, from Chiswick, was presented with a World Atlas and £100 of Marks and Spencer vouchers last Tuesday at a special event to mark his service in Kew Gardens.

Mr Rowntree said: “We have a terrific team of 65 volunteers at the centre and they are what I will miss the most.”

He urged more people to get involved with the bureau, and added: “We always need more volunteers and we currently have a few vacancies for trustee board members.

“Especially now with the downturn we are seeing far more problems and cases to deal with.”

Mr Rowntree has been involved with the CAB since 1974, when he joined as a volunteer in Portsmouth.

He moved to London two years later where he became a full-time advice worker in Hackney and was then made manager of the Chiswick bureau where he worked for more than 26 years.

He said: “I’ve seen a lot of changes here.

“We have really come far, especially with the growth of electronic information.

“It’s much easier now to pass on information.”

Claris Mayo, the manager who appointed him as a volunteer adviser, attended the party and described Mr Rowntree as a breath of fresh air.

Yvonne Birch, an honorary treasurer at the CAB, thanked Mr Rowntree for providing her with “very good training” that enabled her to go into paid employment once she started a family.

Mr Rowntree will occupy his free time with some travelling, where he hopes to meet up with old friends.

He said: “I’m going to do some travelling abroad, to Turkey and Tunisia. I’ll be leaving very soon, I have a few friends there.”