Lifeline to people with poor mental

A local Church has told how it is helping people with anxiety, depression and other psychological conditions to find new hope.
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CAP. inbm21-16s

The congregation of St. Patrick’s Parish along with other Churches in Ballymoney, help run a debt centre in partnership with the charity Christians Against Poverty. They find that poor mental health often runs hand-in-hand with financial difficulties, and in this Mental Health Awareness Week, the centre is highlighting that debt help and friendship are available locally.

Ballymoney CAP Debt Centre Manager Beth Thompson said: “If you have no money but you are getting constant demands, threatening letters and phone calls, it’s very stressful. There is the fear of losing your home, the worry of not being a good parent, and relationships feeling the pressure. It’s not surprising that a quarter of our clients describe themselves as having poor mental health. However, it also goes the other way. Debt can also be a by-product of an on-going condition. It’s much harder to be working and earning if you’re suffering from a mental health issue and therefore, you’re more likely to be struggling with day-to-day costs. The point is, if you’re feeling low and financial problems are part of that, we want to hear from you. CAP’s system is great for people who are struggling because we come to see you in your home.

“CAP’s staff at the headquarters in Bradford negotiate with all your creditors and we organise all the paperwork. It’s also absolutely free whatever their age, gender, faith or background. So we hope people will give us a call and book for us to come and see them.”

If you need help see capuk.org or call 0800 328 0006. On May 5th, MPs in the House of Commons discussed the faith community’s positive contribution to society. St. Patrick’s Parish in Ballymoney is glad to be part of that.