The provision of financial education
The Centre is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the provision of regulated debt advice and has two advisers trained in debt counselling.
![AdobeStock_478435447 [Converted]](https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AdobeStock_478435447-Converted-835x475.jpg)
Being in debt has all sorts of adverse effects. Apart from the pressure of trying to pay the bills, it can lead to tensions within the family, stress and mental health problems. It is something people are often unwilling to admit to, but the longer the problem is left the worse it becomes.
We provide sympathy, a listening ear, and a structured approach to assessing income and outgoings, and then we advise on the range of possible solutions and undertake negotiations with creditors.
Experience has shown that people may not be aware of benefits they may be entitled to, may not have the technology which enables them to fill in forms online, or may just need help because the forms are so complicated. The Centre provides laptop and phone technology and reliable broadband and, if required, someone to sit alongside and help.
We believe the best way to tackle debt is to help people to avoid getting into it in the first place. We therefore plan to offer financial education with sessions on budgeting, saving and borrowing to give people confidence and the ability to manage their money sensibly.
We do all this on a voluntary basis and we do not charge those who seek help anything for our services. While we are based in the middle of the Heartsease Estate we are happy to help anyone in the Greater Norwich area.
We are affiliated to Community Money Advice, a national charity which exists to help those in debt. Community Money Advice provides us with an administration system, templates, training, support and oversight. We have received generous support from a range of charities, including the Diocesan Mission Fund.
We believe we are the only Anglican church in the Diocese which has a debt advice centre, and we would be very happy to talk to any other church which would like to explore the possibility of setting one up. We would also be very happy to hear from anyone who would like to volunteer at the Centre – full training is provided. The centre can be contacted on: 07765 739987 or email: urnegfrnfrpznprager@bhgybbx.pbz
This article is from...
Articles in this issue...
Prayer, presence, proclamation and persuasion
Bacon sandwiches, time together and great input was a recipe for success as far as our PCC was concerned!
More
Eyes fixed on Jesus
A large group of us gathered from the Trunch Benefice during March in our Mundesley Community rooms to join others on Zoom for the Diocese: Leading Your Church into Growth (LYCiG) conference.
More
One Big Day 2022
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10: 23-25
More
PCC News survey follow up
One of the outcomes of the PCC News survey was that a few people asked for reports from parishes already using The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) in our Diocese.
More
Avoid bank charges
I am treasurer of Cromer and also Sheringham PCCs and I became aware that at Cromer we are being charged over £100 a month in bank charges.
More
The legacy lives on
Legacies are a lifeline for our parishes. Church of England parishes receive over 4,000 legacies each year – gifts to finance mission projects, maintain beautiful church buildings and grow faithful and faith filled communities.
More
Bergh Apton Church thanks Keys Auctioneers
It was an item in the summer 2021 issue of PCC news that first sparked the idea.
More
Consider the butterflies
Have you noticed this year’s butterflies? Since we rewilded part of our garden Helen and I have been struck by the number and variety of butterflies that visit.
More
‘Being prayerful’
As many readers will be aware, the new Diocesan vision embraces the threefold invitation to be “Prayerful, Pastoral, Prophetic”, and this year the emphasis has been on the first of those.
More
Maintenance matters
When the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) was founded, William Morris wrote of the need to “stave off decay by daily care, to prop a perilous wall or mend a leaky roof.”
More