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Norwich church opens first money advice centre 

A Norwich church has opened a new Community Money Advice Centre to offer debt advice, help with claiming benefits and financial education.

The Heartsease Community Money Advice Centre was formally opened by the Bishop of Norwich on Tuesday October 26 and attended by Norwich City Council Leader Cllr Alan Waters.  The Centre is part of the work of St Francis, Heartsease, but is a charity in its own right.
 
The Centre is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and there are three strands to its work
 
Debt Advice for those who are struggling to pay their bills:  The centre will work with clients to look at income and outgo, choose the most appropriate solution for managing their debts, and negotiate with creditors.
 
Help with claiming benefits and filling in forms:  The centre has available a laptop and a Broadband connection for those who don’t have those facilities and will help clients navigate their way through the complex online forms that need to be filled in.  The centre also has a phone available for those who need to speak to a government department or agency.
 
Financial Education:  The Centre hopes to provide classes in budgeting, saving and borrowing sensibly.  It has established a link with the Norwich Credit Union to help in this.
 
The Centre has been funded by generous support from the Cinnamon Network, the Paul Bassham Charitable Trust, Norwich Consolidated Charities, the Company of Actuaries Charitable Trust and the Diocese of Norwich Mission Fund.
 
The Centre is affiliated to the charity Community Money Advice (CMA) which has provided a wealth of help and resources.  CMA has a network of roughly 200 centres across the country, all providing debt advice to those who need it.
 
The Centre is staffed by volunteers and its services are available completely free of charge.  At present the Centre has two Advisers, but would like to have more. 
 
David Lechmere (Chair of Trustees and Centre Manager) said that St Francis was very aware of the need for these facilities in the local community and was grateful to all who had made the opening of the Centre possible.
 
The Centre is based at 94 Rider Haggard Road (next door to St Francis church) and holds a regular drop-in session from 2pm to 4pm on a Wednesday afternoon and is believed to be the only Debt Advice Centre in an Anglican church in the Diocese of Norwich.
 
Anyone who needs help, or anyone who would like to volunteer to help in the Centre, is welcome to come to the Drop-In session or contact us on 07765 739987, or email heartseasecmacentre@outlook.com
 
Pictured above is Bishop Graham Usher opening the new Heartsease Community Money Advice Centre.
 


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