Church launches cash sessions to help people fight the gloom of the New Year..
HUNDREDS of churches have declared war on the misery of Blue Monday, the 24th January – the day when the UK is supposed to be at its most depressed.
How did you cope on that day, after the decorations had been taken down and the credit card bills had rolled in?
River Church in St Neots, is among those encouraging a positive outlook for 2011.
Instead of feeling weighed down with the economic gloom, they are challenging people to be brave and take control of their finances.
Church member John Read, from Eaton Ford, St Neots, has been trained by money experts at charity Christians Against Poverty to assist local people with their money by putting on three free sessions for cash-strapped residents.
He said: “So many of us are guessing at our finances. We’re hoping for the best while continuing to spend, really without knowing what we have available.
“The Bible says the truth will set you free and certainly when you know what your situation is – even if it’s a mess – you can start to tackle the issue.”
The church is one of more than 700 across the UK that has received training to run CAP Money to help get people’s finances back on track. The congregation, like many others, wanted to do something to serve their community during the financial crisis.
John added: “All the emphasis in recent times has been buy now and pay later. It’s fun at the time but can bring about months of worry, especially when we are all living through a time of uncertainty.
“With so many expected changes in our incomes this year we need to learn how to take back control of our money and remember the joy of saving up for something.
“This is why we’re putting on these three sessions during which we’ll help people get to grips with what money they have coming in and what is going out of their accounts. We’ll also be showing people of all ages and incomes how to really use their bank and use cash over cards.
“No one will have to disclose private financial information. Most of the course is about enabling people to see their own situation clearly.”
The three sessions take place at The Eatons Community Centre from 3.00pm every Sunday afternoon beginning on 6 March and to reserve a place please phone John on 07799 892922.
For further details see www.capmoney.org
