12 August 2015
Rural partnership begins innovative project tackling financial exclusion
Comic Relief is supporting a new initiative by The Arthur Rank
Centre, The Plunkett Foundation and The Church of England's Mission
and Public Affairs Division to extend access and use of rural
credit unions. This innovative project is backed by the Association
of British Credit Unions, the Methodist and United Reformed Church,
and is likely to see new credit union service points created in
rural churches and community buildings nationwide.
Project Consultant, Janet Wilkinson, will be taking the lead on
this initiative and working directly with six credit unions across
the UK. Janet is the Director of Bristol Credit Union and an
experienced project manager with over 15 years' experience in the
financial services sector. She will be helping the six credit
unions increase their rural membership and develop products
suitable for rural people. Her findings will then be shared to
enable other groups to establish their own rural service
points.
"I'm really excited to be part of this programme," says Janet, "It
has the potential to extend the help Credit Unions give to
communities and individuals throughout the UK through collaborative
partnerships, spreading the word about local and community based
finance".
Many imagine rural life to be idyllic, but over 1.3 million people
live in poverty, often hidden within predominately wealthy areas,
and financial exclusion is commonplace. The latest official
research found that around 200,000 rural residents do not have
access to a bank account and only one in eight banks or building
societies are present in village communities.
The decline in mainstream banking facilities, and the low number of
free cash points, has created 'financial service deserts' in many
rural areas with residents often turning to payday loans and
high-cost credit to fund everyday needs.
For more information call 024 7685 3060 or email info@germinate.net