25th June 2025

Blackburn church leads ecumenical project to launch all-new CAP debt centre for town

St Luke's church in Blackburn is aiming to lead a team of churches from different Christian denominations, including other Church of England churches in the town, to reopen a Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Debt Centre in the town.

The decision to take action in this way is rooted firmly in Blackburn Diocese’s Vision 2026 strategy which aims to create healthy churches transforming local communities and  changing people’s lives for the better.

Jonathan English, Treasurer of St Luke’s, explained how the debt centre will work saying: “Christians Against Poverty supports those trapped in debt and poverty. The centre will provide comprehensive expert advice backed by CAP. 

“CAP has 30 years’ experience of lifting people out of poverty, and their services are needed in times like this. Having a centre in Blackburn is important because more and more people in the UK are being pushed into poverty and some of these people are likely to live in our area.

“The previous centre in Blackburn cleared more than £1 million of debt, and saw more than 140 people become debt free with more than 100 people coming to faith in its last few years.”

Jonathan adds: “We to ask people and their churches to support the centre financially. Any gift that can be given will help get the centre open as soon as possible, and begin providing the help that many people desperately need.

“We are really close to having enough funding for the first 12 months and help from the Christian community will make a real, immediate difference. Any money given will be ring fenced for the Debt Centre and although it will be processed by St Luke’s, it will only be spent on the centre.”

A new fundraising video has been made top promote the initiative and the organisers are now looking for 100 people to pledge at least £10 a month to get the project across the line and to open the centre.

The moving video focuses on the experiences of grandmother Susanna from Blackburn, who fell into serious debt after a health and a personal crisis left her exposed to potentially losing her home and attempting to end her own life.

In the video, Susanna says: “I rang CAP, they came to see me and literally turned my life round. The demands for money and threats were all stopped, they took all the pressure off me and as a result I am a totally different person after their intervention.”

Susannah was welcomed by the previous CAP Debt Centre at St Bartholomew’s church, near Ewood Park, and is now a long standing member of the Christian family at that church.

She added: “I am truly grateful to CAP and St Bartholomew’s for all the care and support I have received.”

Jonathan continued: “The work of CAP is really needed in Blackburn, please consider giving towards this project and commit to praying for its work as well.”

• To make a gift or join the 100 visit this website and if you have any questions, email hello@welcometostlukes.org
• You can find out more about the life changing work of CAP, and its impact in Blackburn, by watching the video here: https://youtu.be/A-TILjq5Eak
• The Christians Against Poverty website is www.capuk.org

Captions for above photos, top to bottoim:
Stills from the promotional video

1. Make a lasting impact on lives with CAP
2. Susanna found help at The Redeemer in Blackburn … could you be one of 100 to help open a new CAP Debt Centre?
3. Susanna’s bills were piling up before she turned to CAP