10 years with Lisburn CAP

Below is a selection of client responses, taken from our monthly team meeting minutes.

Our first team meeting was held on 30 October 2014. Of the present 12 team members seven were at this meeting!

ROCKY START In the early days to help publicise who we were we organised a BBQ in a local church and the BBQ went missing and has never turned up - We invited a CAP speaker along to a church hall AND there was a bomb scare - We were about to give a presentation to the Lisburn and Castlereagh Council AND the computer with all our slides broke down!

2014 After leafletting a local estate one person picked up the leaflet and knew in her heart it was for her. She gave her life to the Lord during a visit of two team members and her debts, caused by the sudden death of her spouse have been paid off.

2016 On returning for a second visit to a lady who had cried during most of the first visit having handed us 18 inches of debt letters, I hardly recognised her. She was transformed having had the stress removed by CAP dealing with her debts and creditors.

January 2018 After 7 months ‘R’, a single mum, was able to manage on her own. This was after she had taken an overdose when her children had been removed, the fear of losing her home and mounting debts. She would have died had the police not found her unconscious. That Christmas her children were with her and her finances were under control.

January 2019 ‘X’s mother rang a team member to say that her son had taken his own life. The team member was shocked and spoke to the mother who thanked him for trying to help her son. Very very sad.

February 2019 ‘Thank you very much for your support throughout the process. I got my head down and worked hard with the plan CAP prepared for me. I have learnt valuable lessons that I can take with me going forward. Thanks again.’

Sept 2019 - Sept 2020 We were unable to take new clients for about a year when CAP closed to reorganise and Covid struck.

February 2020 ‘A’ collapsed (Doctor thought stress) and could have died. After working with CAP she said ‘Thank you for all your prayers and all your help’. She has moved with our help to the North Coast to be nearer her family and is a joy to be with.

June 2020 Having paid off £24K in a year ‘C’ said, “Thank you….please keep doing what you do…you are a blessing and a big help….I really appreciate it…as you say Freedom and New life!

March 2021 ‘Three Hips and Hoorays. I am debt free, thank you so much.’

December 2021 After a client received financial help provided by supporting individuals and churches she said ‘I didn’t know such people existed’

February 2022 After 10 months ‘M’ went debt free. Two team members had been in tears when she initially explained why she needed help.

March 2023 After the TV programme on ‘loan sharks’ who identified potential victims from people visiting food banks ‘C’ came to our house on a Friday evening and cried as she told us how she was being abused as she could not pay off her debts. The loan shark was not from the Lisburn area, but she is now debt free and has regained her life.

May 2023 After 5 years and repaying more than £50k ‘C’ and his family are debt free. He also overcame an addiction which caused his debt problem.

June 2023 A team member phoned several creditors and resolved ‘J’ debts accumulated after her husband died suddenly.

A recent YouGov polling report commissioned by CAP indicates 1/3 off adults (509,000 surveyed) have difficulty making payments - 12 percent don’t know how to repay their debts and one quarter say they would not be able to meet an unexpected expense.

Finally, many thanks to all the local Lisburn Churches and individuals who meet the needs of others so generously.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS UNMANAGEABLE DEBT CALL CAP at 0800 328 0006