A credit union launched by Bradford Council in 1993 to help staff save and borrow from their pay is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Created in response to difficult financial times, Bradford District Credit Union (BDCU) has since become an independent organisation that offers services to anyone in the district of Bradford in West Yorkshire.
It celebrated its birthday at Bradford’s City Hall with long-standing members, board members, past and present staff and the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Zafar Ali, in attendance.
BDCU’s longest standing member, Sean McNulty, told guests how being a member since 1993 has helped him.
He said: “I’ve saved a lot during the good times, paying for holidays for the family, with affordable subs out of my weekly wage packet. In the harder times, when I have needed to take loans, they were always simple to repay.
“I am grateful to Bradford Council for setting up the credit union and I’m so glad my union encouraged me to sign up. Joining the credit union was the right thing to do for my family and it has always been there for me.”
BDCU still has strong ties with the local council and membership currently stands at 6,500 with 50% of BDCU members saving directly through their payroll deduction scheme. And 25% of members say that they would not get similar services elsewhere.
Cllr Ali said: “Thanks to the council’s progressive thinking some 25 years ago, and our great partnership with the credit union over the past two and a half decades, thousands of people have benefited from manageable savings schemes and affordable loans. Long may the great work continue.”
