New research by the prestigious London School of Economics has concluded that the charity Christians Against Poverty contributes £32 million to the United Kingdom’s economy.
The study claims that for every pound the spent, Christians Against Poverty benefitted the wider society four times as much.
The report noted that Christians Against Poverty has broadened its activity base far beyond straightforward debt advice, with crucial face-to-face support for people in poverty.
Christians Against Poverty was founded by John Kirkby in Bradford in 1996. He left a career in finance, vowing to use his expertise to help poor people. The group has helped people in poverty to negotiate with creditors, set up budgets, and escape the trap of debt.
The charity is now engaged with 645 local projects with churches to run job clubs and training in life skills, as well as giving advice. Its work features in an hour-long BBC Two documentary, The Debt Saviours.
John Martin
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
