Bringing Hope through the 5 mountain's challenge

I'm Darren Mitchell and I manage the CAP (Christians Against Poverty) Debt Centre in Warwickshire. We help vulnerable adults get out of debt and offer them a fresh start through The Hope cafe project.

The Hope cafe has been running for a little over four months, and we are already seeing a massive difference in the lives of our guests, so we need your help to raise £10,000 this year. This is so we can keep on going, secondly plan to create a workshop to bring our guests purpose, build confidence and self esteem as well as raise our profile and help many more people along the way.

I'm kicking off this year's fundraising by climbing Mount Snowdon, Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis, Ben Mac Dui and Braeriach from 15th - 18th April 2025. I'm doing this because I'm passionate about seeing lives changed and supporting our guests for the long haul. For that to happen, we need your support, so please give generously.

Here are more details about the impact The Hope Café is having on our guests who are current and ex-CAP clients from Leamington, Kenilworth and Warwick and what they are saying about us?

1. We provide a warm space and reduced loneliness and isolation

2. We have created a safe environment for those who have experienced domestic abuse and violence

3. By building friendships, we have helped decrease depression, anxiety, fear and worry

4. We are creating purpose through various activities that help to build self-esteem and confidence

5. Our guests explore faith in Jesus, receive prayer, and chat about spiritual topics such as forgiveness, healing and relationship with God.

6. We inspire our guests through encouraging talks where they can ask questions and receive further prayer

7. We create worth and value by including our guests in the Hope Cafe journey. We involve them in the planning in areas like the Workshop idea, The Alpha Course, the up-and-coming fundraising events and weekly activities.

8. We empower our guests by discovering their practical abilities. So far, this has involved several guests cooking a meal and another running a creative writing session.

9. We provide fresh, healthy lunches, homemade cake, Christian resources such as bibles, testimony books and DVDs, clothing and other free items like nice toiletries.

10. We are helping to keep our guests on track with their CAP debt management processes. This helps to eliminate stress and the burdens that the admin around debt can create. Recently, several of our guests have gone debt free

11. Our guests have recently agreed to attend the alpha day and connect with The Well Christian Healing Centre so that they can assist us on the question " Does God heal today? Alpha session.

What are our guests saying about the café? (initials have been changed for confidentiality purposes)

AA - It’s amazing. I like the friendly people and making friends has made me less anxious and depressed. I feel confident and trust people, I want to believe in God

BB – Very good, kind, lovely people. ( I like it when we) pray

CC – Being at the café is good for my mental health. It’s a safe, friendly environment, I cannot thank Hope café enough for helping me. It has helped improve my confidence and self-esteem. I look forward to attending every Thursday. It’s the highlight of my week

DD – Everything about the café is good

EE – There’s always something different every week

FF – I like the socialising, and I want to participate in the Alpha course

GG – It's like being part of an extended family, (it gives) a sense of belonging

HH – It's nice to get out of the house and be sociable and chat about any issues that you may have

KK – Nice to meet people

Many Thanks and blessings

Darren and The Hope Cafe Team