By Chris Story. An estimated £3 million is owed by people across Cumbria to doorstep lenders with high-interest loans.

And church leaders hope to step up the part they are playing in the fight against poverty as 15 per cent of children in Cumbria are now classed as living in poverty.

The financial plight faced by many will fall under the spotlight at a conference later this month.

Churches Together in Cumbria is holding the event to forge new links with others involved in the battle to eradicate poverty in the county.

Helen Boothroyd, the organisation’s social responsibility development officer, said: “Churches are on the ground in every community in Cumbria.

“We have a great opportunity to really get stuck into tackling poverty in those communities, especially through helping develop and promote credit unions.”

It is estimated that more than 10 per cent of Cumbrian residents have no bank account and that 70 per cent of social landlord tenants have no home contents insurance – with potentially devastating costs if disaster strikes.

Churches Together in Cumbria – fighting back against doorstep lenders

Credit unions are already well established in Cumbria with about 9,000 members.

They include those in Carlisle and Allerdale, while efforts are underway to establish a new group in Eden.

Churches Together, the umbrella body for the main Christian denominations in the county, already plays a part in promoting financial inclusion, but would like to develop that work further.

Church buildings are often collection points for credit unions with Wigton and Seascale Methodist Churches among the latest to join that list.

Helen added: “Church members are already volunteering around the county to help staff these collection sites and to take leading roles in study groups to set up new credit union services.

“This conference is intended to show even more people how they can get involved in credit union development and other ways of tackling the problems of financial exclusion in the places they live and worship.”

The gathering, in Barrow’s Trinity Church Centre on June 22, will include representation from the north and west of the county.

Speakers will include Oliver Pearson, the Cumbria County councillor responsible for communities, and Gordon Henry, Cumbria Credit Union development coordinator.

First published at 11:29, Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk

Thanks for reading this article about doorstep lenders. If you have struggled paying back a high interest loan from doorstep lenders, and you live in the Angus area, then contact Angus Credit Union on 01307 463388 for help to get you out from under the thumb of doorstep lenders.