Derby named as one of 16 new debt counselling centres to open across UK

LOCAL people struggling with overwhelming debt are set to get free help from an acclaimed charity opening a new centre in Derby. Growing debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has partnered with St. Peter’s Church, in the City Centre, to bring its in-depth service to the area.

Derby is one of 16 places opening a centre during May – rare good news for people who are seeing the biggest squeeze to their income since the two world wars, according to recent research.

CAP offers people a uniquely in-depth, caring service to people with spiralling personal debt. Every client is visited in their own home and supported face-to-face until the day they are debt free.

The free debt counselling has been described as “unsurpassed” by TV’s Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis and “staggering” by Prince Charles when he visited a centre last year.

CAP’s CEO Matt Barlow said: “Our experience shows that there will be a huge amount of people in Derby who believe there is no hope left. Very likely their debt will have been caused by a change in circumstances such as job loss, pay cuts, illness or relationship breakdown.

“Creditors will be ringing all day, the letters will be piling up and their sleep, health and relationships will all be suffering. Yet all this is often hidden because of the shame attached.

Derby Centre Manager Grace Palmer said: “We’re just so pleased to be able to partner the care of our church with the financial expertise of CAP’s head office in Bradford, Yorkshire. However bad a situation can look, we know we will be able to provide a hope and a solution.  CAP saw 71 people become debt free last month. We’re delighted to think some of those will be from Derby in the future.”

The charity now has 160 centres around the UK currently supporting £66m of secondary debts for its clients regardless of income, age, gender, background or faith.

 To find out more www.capuk.org or call 0800 328 0006

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About Christians Against Poverty:

Christians Against Poverty is a home-grown debt counselling charity which is determined to reduce poverty in the UK caused by debt. It partners its financial expertise with the care of the local church to offer free debt help and a solution to people through 160 centres. The fast-growing charity intends to have a debt-counselling CAP centre in 500 towns and cities across the UK by 2015. For more about CAP see www.capuk.org

For further information
Please consider the local centre as your great new contact on issues of personal finance and local poverty – and possibly the source of case studies in the years to come.

Contact CAP’s National PR Manager Marianne Clough
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or telephone 01274 761924

CBER report as reported by BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13029870

During April/May, the 16 new CAP centres are opening in:

Bexhill on Sea, Brighton, Birmingham Central, Derby, Doncaster, Kircaldy & Burntisland, Leeds & Wharfedale, Leeds East & South, London Greenwich, London Merton, Penicuik, Pontefract, Saffron Walden, Southampton East, Sunderland and Yeovil

Extra debt coaches have been taken on Belfast East, Chichester, Causeway Coast and Woking.