Shergroup, the UK’s largest High Court Enforcement Agency, presented professionals in the credit collection industry with a sweet treat when it launched its new charity to help families affected by enforcement action.

Sherbet is the brainchild of Claire Sandbrook, chief executive of Shergroup, who believes more can be done to help families who have lost everything.

It was launched at the Institute of Credit Management exhibition at London’s ExCeL exhibition centre in Docklands, on a stand that would have been at home in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

The colourful stand was a Mecca for anyone with a sweet tooth as it served up a feast of Sherbet Dib Dabs, marsh mallows and ice cream.

Mrs Sandbrook said: “It was one of the best stands we have produced, but we let’s not lose sight of the fact that we were delivering a serious message.”

“Enforcement officers see at first hand the repercussions of debt and very often it is innocent children who are caught up in the middle of this.”

“Sherbet will offer a helping hand to those in most need. We believe that High Court enforcement officers, like ourselves, and county court bailiffs have a social responsibility to do more to help people in vulnerable situations.”

“Together we can use our unique vantage point to recognise genuine hardship and offer some form of assistance.”

Through a grant system Sherbet will offer financial support to, for example, fix the washing machine so that the children don’t have to wear dirty clothes; or contribute to a weekend break for the children; or simply pay for counselling for parents under stress.

“Debt is a serious social problem and is expected to become worse. We want to encourage everyone in the credit industry to come on board and make donations to this charity because collectively there is more we can offer debtors identified in real and genuine need,” added Mrs Sandbrook.

Shergroup has a number of divisions including Sherforce debt collection, Sherbond, which deals with land possession and eviction of squatters, and Shercurity, which specialises in the security of vacant property. For more details about Shergroup services or if you want to donate to Sherbet, call 0845 890 9200