Meetings List
Meetings List
Please inform us of any meeting changes or any inaccuracies in the meeting list by email to: (also see Contacts page for email, phone or postal addresses, or bring details to an Intergroup meeting)
Telephone and online meetings
A list of telephone and online meetings, mainly based in the USA but accessible to anyone, can be found on the main US website (http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/):
Loner Support
If you need help but are miles from meetings then please contact us at support@debtorsanonymous.org.uk, and we will put you in touch with other members, helping you out of your isolation. We will provide you with whatever help and information that we can. Also see internet and telephone meetings (below).
Members and Groups are needed to help with this service. If you would like to support a loner, please contact us on the above email for more information
Intergroup
Intergroup
Who are we?
DA Intergroup is a service arm of the Debtors Anonymous groups in the UK. DA and BDA members have found ways out of the pain and confusion caused by debting by participating in the DA program. We want to tell others who are experiencing the same problems that there is a solution. The DA Intergroup combines the resources of the individual groups to carry out projects that would be difficult for a single group to achieve.
When and where does intergroup meet?
Intergroup meets on the last Saturday of every 2nd month from 2-5pm. Meetings are on the odd months of the year (Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov).
The location is Westminster Methodist Central Hall (The Broadbent Room), Matthew Parker St, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH. Tubes: Westminster/St James’ Park. See map here. The room we have for the next meeting is the John Tudor Room. We can decide on the 28th whether this is an acceptable location.
Any DA or BDA member may attend and speak, but only group representatives may vote.
Meeting dates in 2012:
- Sat 28 January (Annual General Meeting)
- Sat 31 March
- Sat 19 May (note change of date)
- Sat 28 July
- Sat 29 September
- Sat 24 November
Meeting dates in 2011:
- Sat 29 January (Annual General Meeting)
- Sat 26 March Sat 16th April (rearranged due to protest march)
- Sat 28 May
- Sat 30 July
- Sat 24 September
- Sat 26 November
Achievements in 2011
- Intergroup took over the annual DA convention at Bloomsbury Baptist Church, and ran it successfully in October 2011. We are immensely grateful to the previous convention organizer, who has created such a strong platform for this event.
- An Intergroup Service Representative (ISR) was again sent to World Service Conference, with strong financial support from St John’s Hyde Park Crescent group
- Regular bi-monthly meetings were held, all but one being quorate (which requires at least five GSRs from groups to attend)
- Revision of literature procedures was started
- DA’s 21st birthday in the UK was celebrated
- The DAUK PI committee coined ‘One Member One Action’ as a slogan, which has been taken up by World Service
- Email, telephone and postal contact was consistently maintained, and help and information provided wherever requested
- Donations to Intergroup were almost doubled compared to the previous year, partly through a reintroduction of Gratutude Week
- Website hosting was moved, the site rebuilt, and is clearer and more flexible, at lower cost to DA. The meetings list was maintained, and news items produced for changes, with a short response time
- Intergroup maintained and met its spending plan
Achievements in 2009
- Regular meetings on Saturdays every 2 months, to allow people from out of London to attend more easily
- Changed meeting format to allow a focus on a particular issue, including sponsorship, service, PRGs and Public Information
- This led to a well-attended Sponsorship Workshop in January 2010
- Held PRG days in Penzance and Bristol, in order to support new groups
- Provided partial funding to allow Hyde Park Crescent group to send representative to World Service Conference in the USA
- Maintained clear finances and provided monthly reports to groups
- Developed and worked to a spending plan; agreed to move to system where Intergroup is funded on the donations from the previous year, allowing a spending plan for the coming year to be agreed at the January AGM
- Rewrote and updated Intergroup Byelaws
- Maintained and improved handling of postal, email and telephone enquiries
- Improved communication to and from GSRs through an email address, intergroup@debtorsanonymous.org.uk, with messages forwarded automatically to an up-to-date list of intergroup members
- Website kept current and improved
- Provided literature to groups
Achievements in 2008
- Regular meetings moved to Saturdays, every 2 months, to allow people from out of London to attend more easily
- Postal, email and telephone enquiries answered
- Website kept current and improved
- Maintained clear finances and provided monthly reports to groups
- Provided literature to groups, and set up improved email system
- Set up separate email addresses for literature and loner support
- Developed new initiatives for loner support
- Funded representative to attend World Service Conference
- New secretary voted in
Achievements in 2007
- Regular monthly Intergroup meetings
- Agreed new DA visions for 2007 – 2011
- Initialised and maintained DA intergroup postal address
- Initialised and maintained a new telephone service
- Acquired ownership of the www.debtorsanonymous.org.uk domain name
- Created a new website that allows flexibility and can be easily maintained
- Responded to email and telephone enquiries
- Drafted letter to be sent to Citizens Advice Bureaux
- Maintained clear finances and provided monthly reports to groups
- Voted in new Treasurer, Vice Treasurer and Literature secretary during 2007
Donations to intergroup
Intergroup is funded largely through donations from DA and BDA groups. It has been agreed that these donations (whether by cash or cheque) should normally be made at intergroup meetings by the group representative, so that the donation is witnessed and recorded. Intergroup will accept donations by post from groups outside London, although attendance at intergroup is always the preferred method.
Contacting Intergroup
See here.
Business debtors
Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA)
BDA is a distinct and dynamic but not separate part of DA, created to focus on the recovery of members of the fellowship who are self-employed people or business owners. Together, members of BDA support one another in applying the DA principles and tools when owning and running a business. There are particular issues that arise for such people, both in managing their businesses, and in keeping them separate from their home lives. Note that the primary purpose of BDA is to operate businesses without incurring debt, and personal debting issues should be addressed at regular DA meetings
However, as part of DA, there is no separate membership for attending BDA meetings. As it states in our Third Tradition, “the only requirement for DA membership is a desire to stop incurring unsecured debt”. This applies to both professional and personal debt. It is understood that paying bills for goods and services rendered according to agreed upon terms does not constitute debting.
The meetings list specifies which meetings focus on BDA issues. Some may restrict participation in order to allow a focus on particular aspects of business debting (see meetings list).
Investors Business Owners Debtors Anonymous (iBODA)
In iBODA, our business plans need an enormous infusion of cash to take it to the next level. This cash infusion would allow the businesses to expand to a position of potential market dominance. We found putting our businesses ‘out there’ exposed to the venture capital community is intimidating, risky and very frightening to the iBODA member. We draw strength from each other in our meetings as we learn to find spiritual solutions to our common business problems. Some iBODA examples:
- an invention that needs to be patented and manufactured
- a new product that needs to be distributed nationwide
- a high technology company that needs a large technical staff with overhead to produce the service being offered
Qualifications: iBODA members are actively raising outside capital for their companies by selling shares of stock based on the assets and projected assets (business plan) of their companies as collateral. The only qualification to join is to be a member of both DA and BDA meetings, and creating a business plan that generates a profitable return on the way to becoming an asset in itself.
About DA
Membership of DA
The only requirement for DA membership is a desire to stop using any form of unsecured debt. There are no dues or fees; we are self-supporting through our own contributions.
Members share their experiences in recovery from compulsive indebtedness on a one-to-one basis, and introduce the newcomer to DA’s Twelve Steps of personal recovery (based on the Twelve Steps of AA) and its Twelve Traditions that sustain the Fellowship itself.
Meetings
At the heart of the program are its meetings, which are conducted autonomously by D.A. groups in cities and towns throughout the world.
Anonymity
Anonymity helps the Fellowship to govern itself by principles rather than personalities; attraction rather than promotion. We openly share our program of recovery, but not the names of individuals in it.
What D.A. does NOT do
D.A. does not keep attendance records or case histories, engage in or sponsor research, affiliate with “councils” or social agencies (although DA members, groups and service officers cooperate with them), offer religious services, provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money or other social services, provide domestic or vocational counseling, provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials or social agencies.
D.A. does not discriminate against any prospective member. Who made the referral to DA is not what interests us… it is the compulsive debtor who elicits our concern.
Problems other than debt
Some people are compulsive spenders or compulsive shoppers. Underearning is another problem faced by many. These problems may exist separately from the problem of compulsive debt. Our primary purpose is to “stop debting one day at a time and to help other compulsive debtors to stop incurring unsecured debt.”
We service those who have a desire to stop using any form of unsecured debt, which is any debt that is not secured with some form of collateral such as a car, house, or other property.
Working the programme
After a member has gained some familiarity with the DA programme through attendance at meetings, he or she may take the following actions:
- Obtain a sponsor
- Work the Twelve Steps of DA
- Read DA literature
- Organize a pressure relief group and pressure relief meeting
How it works
The Tools of Debtors Anonymous
Recovery from compulsive debting begins when we stop incurring new, unsecured debt, one day at a time. (Unsecured debt is any debt that is not backed up by some form of collateral, such as a house or other asset.) We attain a daily reprieve from compulsive debting by practicing the Twelve Steps and by using the following tools.
1. Meetings
We attend meetings at which we share our experience, strength and hope with one another. Unless we give to newcomers what we have received from D.A., we cannot keep it ourselves.
2. Record Maintenance
We maintain records of our daily income and expenses, of our savings, and of the retirement of any portions of our outstanding debts.
3. Sponsorship
We have found it essential to our recovery to have a sponsor and to be a sponsor. A sponsor is a recovering debtor who guides us through the Twelve Steps and shares his or her own experience, strength, and recovery.
4. Pressure Relief Groups and Pressure Relief Meetings
After we have gained some familiarity with the D.A. program, we organize Pressure Relief Groups consisting of ourselves and two other recovering debtors who have not incurred unsecured debt for at least 90 days and who usually have more experience in the program. The group meets in a series of Pressure Relief Meetings to review our financial situation. These meetings typically result in the formulation of a spending plan and an action plan.
5. Spending Plan
The spending plan puts our needs first and gives us clarity and balance in our spending. It includes categories for income, spending, debt payment and savings (to help us build cash reserves, however humble). The income plan helps us focus on increasing our income. The debt payment category guides us in making realistic payment arrangements without depriving ourselves. Savings can include prudent reserve, retirement and special purchases.
6. Action Plan
With the help of our Pressure Relief Group, we develop a list of specific actions for resolving our debts, improving our financial situation, and achieving our goals without incurring unsecured debt.
7. The Telephone and the Internet
We maintain frequent contact with other D.A. members by using the telephone, e-mail, and other forms of communication. We make a point of talking to other D.A. members before and after taking difficult steps in our recovery.
8. D.A. and A.A. Literature
We study the literature of Debtors Anonymous and of Alcoholics Anonymous to strengthen our understanding of compulsive disease and of recovery from compulsive debting. In A.A. literature we can identify with many of the situations described by substituting the words “compulsive debt” for “alcohol.”
9. Awareness
We maintain awareness of the danger of compulsive debt by taking note of bank, loan company and credit card advertising and their effects on us. We also remain aware of our personal finances in order to avoid vagueness, which can lead to compulsive debting or spending.
10. Business Meetings
We attend business meetings that are held monthly. Many of us have long harbored feelings that “business” was not a part of our lives but for others more qualified. Yet participation in running our own program teaches us how our organization operates, and also helps us to become responsible for our own recovery.
11. Service
We perform service at every level: personal, meeting, Intergroup, and World Service. Service is vital to our recovery. Only through service can we give to others what so generously has been given to us.
12. Anonymity
We practice anonymity, which allows us freedom of expression by assuring us that what we say at meetings or to other DA members at any time will not be repeated.
Revised 2005
Getting started
Welcome to Debtors Anonymous!
Here you can find a new way of living that offers recovery from compulsive debting and hope for a healthier, happier, more prosperous life. We suggest that you keep an open mind and attend at least six meetings as soon as possible. If you do not like one meeting, attend another. The important thing is to keep coming back.
Here are some suggestions to help you get started:
- First and foremost, we suggest that you stop incurring any new unsecured debt, one day at a time. Unsecured debt is any debt not backed up by some form of collateral. Although refraining from compulsive debting may be difficult and painful, it establishes a solid foundation for our recovery.
- To gain clarity about how we use money, we record our expenses and our income. A good way to do this is to buy a small notebook or planner that is easy to carry. Throughout each day, we write down everything we spend and any income we receive, no matter how small the amount. Do not be discouraged if you cannot keep perfect records. If you lose track, begin again as soon as you can. We believe in progress, not perfection.
- We recommend purchasing and reading D.A. literature, where you may find useful suggestions and new insights. We also find it helpful to read these books: A Currency of Hope, Alcoholics Anonymous, and The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. When you read AA literature, we suggest substituting the words debt and debting for alcohol and drinking.
- We suggest that you begin by working the Twelve Steps and by practicing the D.A. Tools because we did not arrive overnight at the circumstances that brought us to D.A., so solving our problems has required time and effort. While using the Tools of D.A. provides some relief from compulsive debting, working the Steps leads to recovery.
- We suggest that you work the Twelve Steps in order, preferably with a sponsor or an experienced D.A. member who has worked and continues to work the Steps to the best of his or her ability. For us, true, long-lasting recovery results from a spiritual experience gained by working the Steps.
- We recommend beginning with Step One. The sense of despair or “hitting bottom” we felt when we first came to D.A. was the first step in our recovery. We saw that our own attempts to scheme and manipulate our debts did not work. We admitted that we were powerless over debt. We were ready to ask for help.
- To help you work the program, we suggest asking someone who lives the recovery you want to be your sponsor. Sponsors help us work the 12 Steps, use the D.A. Tools and carry out our Action Plans.
- After you have recorded your income and expenses for (preferably) 30-45 days, attended at least six meetings, and made a commitment to D.A., we suggest that you ask two members of D.A., (usually a man and a woman) to meet with you in a Pressure Relief Meeting. These two D.A. members should have abstained from incurring unsecured debt for at least 90 days and had two Pressure Relief Meetings, and if possible they should have recovery from issues similar to yours. As the members of your Pressure Relief Group (PRG), they will help you review your situation and formulate a Spending Plan and an Action Plan.
- We suggest that you practice the principle of anonymity. Who we see and what we hear at meetings and in private conversations is kept confidential. This principle allows all members the freedom to speak openly and honestly without fear that our words or deeds may be used to harm us. Please respect the anonymity of all D.A. members.
The above essay is Conference-approved material that is reprinted with permission from the General Service Board of Debtors Anonymous; Copyright DA Intergroup UK 2008