Nick Smith MP met up with a team of local poverty busters looking to get the community out of the red one family at a time.
Christians Against Poverty run money courses where they work to lift people out of financial difficulty and debt, growing from humble beginnings in 1996 to a national charity.
The Beaufort branch helped people throughout 2012, with special visits to guide them through the process and get them through debt problems on a long-term plan.
Wayne Evans, manager for the scheme in Beaufort, spent 36 years as a bank manager.
“It’s a three week course teaching people how to budget, and getting back to the old way of doing things, where cash was king”, he said.
“It’s like the pots in the house, where that money’s for the butcher, that money’s for the baker.
“Cards are just so much easier to use, so it’s just getting people to think about how much money they have coming in and how much they have got to spend.
“This isn’t a quick fix. Two thirds of personal credit card debt in Europe is in Britain. Financial institutions are still targeting people in a bid to sell credit cards.”
With the long term goal being the creation of Job Clubs, Mr Smith said the CAP scheme was a boon for the borough.
“In an era of quick-fix solutions with a sting in the tail, it is good to see this service on our doorstep”, he said.
“Having met with the team they clearly have a lot of experience and knowledge that I think everyone should be following, not just those in financial difficulties.
“In a time where Government cuts only seem to be cutting more deeply by the day, this is a welcome attempt to weather the financial storm.”
Visit www.capuk.org or call 0800 328 0006 for more information.