A CITY centre church is to offer practical support for local people suffering financial hardships.

St Nicholas Church, in the Market Place, Durham, has announced it will be able to raise money for those in need to purchase a specific needed item, such as replacing a broken cooker for a family struggling financially or equipping someone with interview clothes to help get a job.

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This potential support is made possible through a new partnership with Acts 435, a national online charity that gives donors the opportunity to connect with people who need help.

Acts 435 enables St Nicholas, or St Nics, as it is known locally, plus other participating churches and local charities, to post requests for specific needs onto their website.

Individuals can then go online and donate any chosen amount to purchase the specific items that will help people in difficult circumstances, aiding them to bridge the gap of financial crisis.

The charity was set up to enable people who are keen to support individuals and families directly in their local area, or another area of the UK, by giving what they can afford.

These donations fund items such as fridge freezers and furniture for local people who may be homeless, escaping domestic violence, those newly arrived in the UK, or who may have lost their job, or fallen into debt. 

‘Michael’, the Acts 435 representative in Durham who works through St Nics, described it as, “a unique charity.”

“It operates on an extremely cost-effective model, working through regulated churches and charities to connect donors directly with people in need.

“One hundred per-cent of donor funds go to people in need and the charity has helped over 32,000 people nationwide since it launched 11 years ago.

“Working with Acts 435 will enable us to be such a blessing to the people in our local community and we are excited about this opportunity.”

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Further information about Acts 435 is available via www.acts435.org.uk, or by contacting ‘Michael’, or ‘Lydia’, at the church.

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