Dereham Baptist Church (DBC) has partnered with national charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) since 2019 to provide free face-to-face debt counselling in and around Dereham. We are trained, authorised and supported by CAP Head Office, who are accredited by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), to provide debt advice to our local clients.

Our Debt Centre is staffed by two part-time employees and a team of dedicated and compassionate volunteers who play a crucial role in supporting our clients during home visits and beyond. Together, we provide emotional support, companionship, and practical assistance to individuals facing financial hardship.

As an independent project, we are entirely responsible for our own funding. This comes from a combination of monthly financial support from Dereham Baptist Church alongside regular and one-off gifts from other churches and individuals, fundraising events and grants.

Over the last 5 years we have been blessed by funding from organisations such as Norfolk Community Foundation, Dereham Town Council and Aviva. Grants such as these make up around 50% of our income.

Why is this service needed?

The current cost of living crisis, combined with the fact that our community includes some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country*, means that our work is more important than ever. In February 2024, 99% of adults said that their cost of living had either remained the same or gone up compared to the previous month**.  48% of people are using savings, credit cards or foodbanks and other charity support to plug the gap**, increasing the chance of falling behind with paying bills in the near future.

For more details about how the cost of living crisis is impacting CAP’s clients please take a look at their recent report, here.

Whilst each individual and their household comes to us with a unique set of circumstances, commonly we see people who are struggling with mental health and most don’t have the confidence to approach and negotiate successfully with creditors.

This is where Dereham Debt Centre and CAP can help, providing support and information for clients to make an informed choice about the best way to manage their debts. Alongside this, our volunteers seek to provide longer term support to clients. Using our links within the community, we are able to signpost clients to specific interest groups and further sources of support.

Where does the money go?

Monies donated through this Aviva Community Fund project will be used to support the ongoing operations and expansion of Dereham Debt Centre's services in Dereham and the surrounding area. This includes making home visits, offering local drop-ins, and running our Money Coaching Workshops.

Donations you give will have double the impact thanks to Aviva, as they will match any pledge received through this page (up to £250 per individual).

For more information about CAP's services and Dereham Baptist Church, please follow the hyperlinks to their websites.

If you need debt help call 0800 328 0006 to book an appointment.

*Indices of Deprivation Map

**Office for National Statistics