Ron Graham, 68, said spiralling debt had a devastating effect on his mental health.
He revealed: “Living in debt was unbearable and I felt so down and isolated.
“Fortunately, a close friend found out that I planned to take my own life and encouraged me to seek help.
“I received support from the community link worker at my local doctors’ surgery and was told that all I had to do was call Christians Against Poverty’s free helpline and I’d be allocated a local debt coach to help me.
“That was the hardest phone call I ever had to make, but it saved my life, and turned out to be the best thing I could ever have done.
“My debt coach gave me hope that there really could be a future for me after all.”
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