11/05/2015
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has become the first patron of debt charity Christians Against Poverty.
The charity runs debt services through local churches with the aim of releasing people from the prison of debt. Around 60 of its 280 debt centres are based in Church of England churches.
In a video message the Archbishop said: "Most of us know people who've been in debt. Many of us, probably most of us, have had moments when either we've been in debt or we've begun to wonder how on earth we're ever going to make ends meet.
“CAP deals in helping people to get free of the prison of debt and it's something I feel passionately about. And having seen them at work and having seen how effective they are, I wanted to be a patron and to support them in any way I could.
Speaking about the CAP approach, the Archbishop said: "First of all they tackle the issues where they really exist, they go to people's homes, they treat people as human beings, they keep them with their dignity, they're not trying to make money out of them, they're there to love them and to enable them to find their own way forward. It's not just about telling them what to do, it's about a sense of ownership and liberation for them.
"Secondly, they are linked to local churches. Over 20 per cent of CAP branches link in in some way to a Church of England church but all of them link in to Christian churches. That's really exciting because it means there's a community for those who want it. CAP don't force them into the church or anything like that but they offer them scope to find the support and love of a Christian community. That's wonderful."
To find out more visit the CAP website.