DWP minister visits Northern Community Bank in Nelson
Northern Community Bank had the honour of welcoming MP Guy Opperman from the Department for Work and Pensions at our Manchester Road branch in Nelson recently. Mr Opperman joined fellow Conservative MP for Pendle, Andrew Stephenson, for a tour around our not-for-profit co-operative that provides ethical savings and affordable loan accounts to the local community.
Mr Opperman has experience in ethical finance, as he helped to create Tynedale Community Bank, another not-for-profit bank in Northumberland which also allows people to save and borrow money, with interest at a much lower rate than many other lenders.
There’s a cohort of society that needs looking after, where better to do that than a Community Bank
Mr Opperman
As part of his role at DWP Mr Opperman takes a lead on combating financial exclusion. His experience at Tynedale has identified the important role both community banks and community banks have in giving people access to banking services, including loans to people who might otherwise not be able to access them. Mr Opperman
I know first-hand that improving financial inclusion is key to helping some of the poorest and most marginalised in society.
Deborah Smith-Hands, Chief Operating Officer Officer and Board member Mark Hirst from Northern Community Bank discussed the exciting new town centre branch the community bank is opening at 48 St James’s Street in Burnley which will open our services up to more people in the community. Mr Opperman has regularly commented on need for community led finance whilst the high street banks are leaving town centres across the country
The recent change in legislation has put a huge dent in the likes of Wonga and Brighthouse and I hope this brings more clients to Community banks
Said Mr Opperman
Northern Community Bank staff recently attended an event at the Palace of Westminster where Mr Opperman joined leading figures from the banking world and MPs from across the political spectrum to pledge their support for the credit union movement in UK.
