ALTON’S Christians Against Poverty (CAP) debt advice team has taken on a new team member.

Recent analysis has shown that the number of people in Alton seeking help with their debts has significantly increased this year and so the addition to the team of Brian Hubbard has been welcomed.

Based at the Harvest Church, which operates out of the Alton Maltings Centre, CAP Debt Centre manager Mark Rumsby said: “Last year there was a 40 per cent increase in the number of people in and around Alton contacting CAP, a national debt counselling charity, and it is expected that this number will continue to rise over the coming months.”

Mr Hubbard has now joined the team as a debt coach and will work alongside Mr Rumsby, providing additional help to those experiencing money problems.

Mr Rumsby said: “It is great that Brian has now come on board, we will now be able to be more responsive to helping those in debt and be able to help a wider community.”

Like all CAP team members in Alton, Mr Hubbard is a volunteer and has recently retired from a successful technical sales career.

He said: “While working in the commercial sector there was a part of society with which I had very little contact, particularly the vulnerable and disadvantaged, and so I decided to do more to help.”

Mr Hubbard has recently worked as a volunteer in homeless shelters, both in Winchester and Basingstoke, and for Citizens Advice.

It was these roles that opened his eyes, he said, to the many problems faced by ordinary people, especially those with a history of mental ill-health, addictions, low incomes, or living with broken relationships.

Having now been trained at CAP’s headquarters in Bradford, Mr Hubbard is looking forward to living out his faith by helping those in debt in Alton and the surrounding villages.

If you are struggling with unmanageable debt, call 0800 328 0006 or visit capdebthelp.org.