Christians Against Poverty open Ballymena centre

Growing debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has partnered with Ballymena Baptist, to bring its in-depth service to the area.

Ballymena is one of 22 places opening a centre during May - rare good news for the UK amid economic downturn and the latest centre will join two others in the region helping people in Antrim and Coleraine.

“Ballymena centre manager Valerie Roebuck said: “The Church has always been about offering hope and we’re really pleased to be able to give a tried-and-tested route out of debt alongside other great free debt advice in the area like the Citizens Advice Bureau.

“There is a lot in the Bible about looking after the poorest. In our society, a lot of poverty is debt-related so our congregation has been working hard to open a CAP centre to help get people back on track.”

CAP offers people a uniquely in-depth, caring service to people with spiralling personal debt. Every client is visited in their own home, the charity does all the negotiating with creditors and local volunteers offer support to each person face-to-face until the day they are debt free.

Valerie added: “Debts can happen when a relationship breaks down, or someone loses their job, or through bereavement – so often when people are least able to cope with a financial headache.

“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.”

The charity has 200 centres around the UK currently supporting £73m of secondary debts for its clients regardless of income, age, gender, background or faith. The free debt counselling has won a string of accolades including being described as “unsurpassed” by TV’s Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis.

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