Female service user, C.A.S.S. North

“I am a single parent and live in a large village outside Carlisle. Over the past two years I have received regular support from C.A.S.S.. When I first got in touch my ex partner had left and through no fault of my own I was left with a huge amount of debt which I was unable to pay. I could not afford to buy food for myself and my family. I was in a desperate state and believed that there was no-one I could turn to for help. I became withdrawn and could not deal with my life from day to day which made matters worse. I suffered mental health problems and the tenancy for my house was under threat.

I was given the number for C.A.S.S. from a friend and when I rang they were quick to reassure me that they could help me and came to see me a few days later.

Over the past two years my support worker has helped me to address my problems. Practically, by helping me to sort out what seemed at the time to be an impossible debt situation and emotionally, by putting me in touch with people who helped me to deal with mental health problems such as agoraphobia and depression. I am still on medication for depression but feel more able to deal with day to day life myself.

I would like to thank C.A.S.S. for the help and support they have given me over a long period of time. I would also like to express my deepest thanks to my support worker for an endless amount of reassurance which has helped me to develop my own confidence and would like to add who during this time has often been the only person I have felt able to confide in and trust which for me personally has been a lifeline”.