"We do exactly what we say on the tin."

A promise to get people out of debt, to give them hope when it seems hopeless and to stop the terror every time the post arrives.

A new service offered by the Frome branch of Christians Against Poverty, a debt counselling charity, makes it clear that they will and can help, however long it takes.

Not only does the group, running from Trinity Church in Frome, take a long term view of help - often running over years - it is run by someone who knows all about the fear, secrecy and pressure of carrying debts.

Phil Gray, the debt centre manager was himself in massive and secret amounts of debt, even while carrying on a senior job and supporting his large family.

The counselling centre started in August and while coronavirus has meant that home visits are currently not on offer, it is Phil who will be the one telling you that he knows exactly what it means to be terrified.

He knows all about the pressures of debt, and how toxic life weighed down by debt can be.

Nub News spoke to Phil about his personal experiences and how he can help. But first we asked him why this service was even needed in a town which is seemingly so well off.

" There is a lot of hardship in Frome, " Phil said. " In fact we have two of three poorest wards in Somerset, around the Trinity area and the Mount. So there is real need, but in addition, so much debt is hidden. You will not know that someone is being overwhelmed by debt, it can happen to anyone.

"The three main causes of debt are loss of work, relationship breakdown and ill health and sometimes a combination of these and other factors."

Over the summer, when the centre first opened it was perhaps quieter than the team had expected.

Phil explained to Nub News:

"The reason is because there were no evictions during that period of time (the government called a halt to them due to coronavirus) . Enforcement agents were not allowed to visit homes, so that pressure was off, but as that starts to come back again and evictions and unemployment rises, we will sadly see an increase in people seeking help."

How do people get help?

" People just call us on the freephone number. (0800 328 0006) .That goes straight to our CAP head office, all of our debt advisers are based in Bradford. CAP is a charity which began in1996 and over the years has built up so much experience in handling debt. All the local branches are based in a church, that is where we are based (Trinity), and then we are the ones who gather information that is needed and do the work for them.

What happens then?

"When you telephone your needs are assessed, " explained Phil. " And provided that they think they can help they put you in touch with me. At our first appointment (over the phone) I explain what we can do, and ask if clients are happy to proceed. Then I give them a great big long list of all the information that we will need.

"Some people are good with paperwork some are not," Phil smiles. " But we give them a good two weeks so that people can get all the information up together. Then I have a very long phone call with them where I will get all that information put it on my computer and get all that electronic information to Bradford, so that they have all the information they need to work out what can be done. "

And then it is no longer your problem - well almost

" It is then taken over by the centre. They will deal with all the creditors, our client no longer has to talk to them. Just give their CAP number.

A great weight is lifted off the client right away, and any letters they might get, they just have to put them in an envelope and send them to CAP. It takes off that pressure. We do not leave someone until they are debt free, it may be a debt repayment plan, it may be a debt insolvency order, they are the two most common options. They will also be offered a befriender, someone from the church, not a debt expert or finance expert, just someone who is there who can be with them and they will stay with that person. We aim for everyone to become debt free within five years, although some will be debt free before that."

So what qualifies 67 year old Phil to be there for debt help?

" When I talk about people being in debt I talk from my own experience," he explained. "I was in chronic debt and it went on for years, I know the struggle that it is.

" I know what it is like to absolutely detest the postman because all he does is bring you threatening letters. I would dread picking up the post from the mat, still today there is still that dread, that fright that it might be a threatening letter, it was horrendous. I was married and I was working and I had four children, but with huge debts and it just went from bad to worse because I did not want to deal with them.

" At the beginning of the year the government reckoned that there were nine million people in this country who were over borrowed, it is not quite the same as being in debt... but some of those will have unmanageable debt and that is where we come in. If you are overborrowed it means that you owe more than one year's net income. "

You might be ok but if you are not we are here.

Phil added : " Provided you keep your job and there is no sickness, you are probably ok to carry debt, but if something happens, or any other issues come along then you can very quickly be in trouble. As soon as your level of debt becomes unmanageable you need the services of CAP. We are Christians here - and the name is on the tin - we don't hide it - but we don't expect our clients to be Christian, in fact we expect them not to be. Most people are agnostic. Any race, creed or colour, it doesn't matter, or any sexual orientation it doesn't matter. We just want to help."

So what motivates Phil?

" I don't think anyone deserves to be poor. Period. What I would say is that our strapline is 'always hope' because we want to bring people hope. When you are in debt you have no hope and you cannot be the person God designed you to be, because you have this cloud over you and it is like being in a prison. Whenever you get a spare moment you think about your debt. It hangs around you.

" Every year two and a half thousand people are set debt free through CAP .. in other words I know it works and that for me is very important. I want to be doing something I am assured can help.

" The other thing is that 34 per cent of CAP clients have either seriously considered or have attempted suicide. The thought of someone attempting that because of debt is just horrendous. You don't know who is in debt, there is no way to tell.

"Estimates are that one in ten or one in 12 people have unmanageable debt, so if you know 12 people, one of them has that secret. and they will keep it secret.

" Through all those years I was in debt no one knew, so it was also very very lonely. You just lose all hope and you think there is no point. That is a desperate place. Our strap line is again 'always hope' if we can bring that hope to people than we have done our job."

To get help from CAP phone: 0800 328 0006.