Steve Hart reflects on his decade as Debt Coach in Yeovil, and shares a heartfelt thank you to every supporter, volunteer and staff member who has made a difference in the lives of those he’s helped become debt free.
I have had a remarkable ten-year journey with CAP, to the point where working with the team and the people we serve has changed my life. When I became a Debt Coach in 2014, I knew there was a need for free and professional, face-to-face debt help in Yeovil, but over the years I’ve been blown away by just how much we’ve been needed. Even with my personal story of poverty in my childhood days, it can be so easy to feel disconnected from current stories of poverty, even as a Christian. CAP changed all that for me.
Working with the team and people we serve has changed my life.
We see on the ‘frontline’ the emotion first hand that clients have when they are freed from the weight of debt in their lives. Plus we get to share the good news of Jesus via our personal faith stories, encouraging and praying for people in their time of need.
I often say to people, ‘You need a soft heart, clear head and a thick skin’ to be helping those we help to journey out of debt, because people are experiencing some really tough times and it’s our job to bring hope to their situations in a practical and tangible way. I think this is most probably why it’s the soft heart where the Holy Spirit has carried out most of his work in me over the last ten years.
The Bradford team and local centres across the UK provide an exemplary service, going above and beyond for those we serve. Anything from working with people with complex needs and vulnerabilities whose finances can be difficult to work through, to making sure people have access to the best routes out of debt for their situation, to helping provide vital information on things like housing rights or available support, even once a person is debt free and their case is closed. It’s the sterling work carried out by the Bradford team that truly enables people to become debt free, and I want to thank you all. We really are part of an incredible professional workforce and church-based movement.
None of this would be possible without our amazing supporters either – you’ve been there through it all, continuing to support the mission, equipping churches to transform lives, with Jesus at the centre.
We are part of an incredible church-based movement, with supporters who have been there through it all, and Jesus at the centre.
During my ten years as a Debt Coach, I’ve seen a lot of change and growth in the services we offer locally through the church. We started a life skills group in February 2022 which runs under the leadership of Jennifer Matthew, and they currently have five coaches and run three courses per year – one per school term. Money coaching has also been something we’ve offered at times over the years. We’re delighted to now have two trained coaches, Peter Gibson and Paul Hiscutt, who began workshops in November 2024.
And, of course, the debt centre opened in April 2011, and I took over as manager in October 2014. Mary Irwin has stepped up as my successor and I’ve always said that success is in succession! It’s amazing how well all three services interconnect, and we are finding people connecting particularly well into church life via the life skills groups.
I will continually support the Yeovil team as Chair of their CAP Management Committee, and be available with my experience (and hopefully wisdom). When I left the RAF in 1998, they said, ‘You can take the man out of the military, but you can’t take the military out of the man’. It is the same for CAP, as I’m sure I will continually be as best an ambassador for CAP as possible.
CAP can’t help but influence you – I’m a changed man!
Finally, my deepest, heartfelt thanks to every single person who supports CAP and those we serve in some way or another. Maybe you’re a church leader, volunteer, Befriender, Debt Coach, Life Skills Coach, Money Coach, Job Club Coach, Debt Advisor or someone else from the Bradford team at head office, or maybe you’re a faithful supporter or prayer warrior. To every single one of you – thank you. You are the reason people are finding meaningful work, being equipped with vital life skills, becoming debt free, integrating into churches, hearing the gospel and experiencing God’s love – often for the first time.
There aren’t words to adequately express the joy I’ve experienced over the last ten years. When you work with CAP, it can’t help but influence you. I’m a changed man!
Yours together in God’s service,
Steve Hart
Former Debt Centre Manager, Yeovil
Steve continues to support his local team as Chair of the Yeovil CAP Management Committee, which oversees a debt centre, life skills and money coaching in the area.
