One year ago, we began an exciting new chapter.
On 24 July 2025, Pennine Community Credit Union became Northern Community Bank. It was more than a new name and a new look – it was a name that better reflected who we are today and the people we serve.
Twelve months later, we’re proud to look back on everything we’ve achieved together.
A year of growth
Over the past year, more people than ever have chosen Northern Community Bank to help them save, borrow and take control of their money.
In the last 12 months:
- Savings have grown from £17 million to more than £21 million.
- We have welcomed 1,500 new account holders, with 800 from East Lancashire, 200 from Preston, 100 Lancaster and 400 from Cumbria.
- Lending has increased from £17.5 million to £18.8 million, helping even more people access fair and affordable borrowing.
These milestones represent much more than growth. They represent families building savings for the future, people borrowing with confidence, and communities choosing a financial organisation that puts people first.
Reaching more communities
One of the reasons behind our new name was to better reflect the people we serve today.
When we first opened our doors in 1982, our roots were firmly in the Pennine area. Today, we support account holders from Burnley and Pendle to Preston, Lancaster and Cumbria.
Over the past year, we’ve been proud to see Northern Community Bank featured across regional newspapers, community publications, trade media and local radio. From Lancashire to Cumbria, our story has reached more people than ever before, helping more people discover Northern Community Bank and the support we offer.
The response from partners and community organisations has also been incredibly positive.
Burnley Councillor Afrasiab Anwar described the new name as one that “properly reflects the footprint of the organisation and the work you do,” while Julie Friend, Cumberland Social Inclusion and Housing Team Leader, said “it helps people better understand what we offer”.
Investing in a better experience
This year has also seen some exciting improvements for our account holders.
We proudly opened our new head office on Manchester Road in Burnley, creating a larger, modern space designed around the needs of our communities. The new branch provides our team with the facilities they need to support more account holders, including helping people make the most of our digital services and manage their money through our online account and mobile app.
Alongside our new branch, we launched a refreshed mobile app, making it quicker and easier to manage accounts on the go. The updated app gives account holders a simpler way to apply for loans, see their account balances and create savings goals helping them stay connected with their money whenever and wherever they need to.
We also launched a refreshed mobile app, making it quicker and easier to manage accounts on the go, alongside two new savings products – Northern Saver and Save the Change – giving people even more ways to build healthy savings habits.
Supporting our communities
Supporting our communities has always been at the heart of everything we do.
Throughout the year, we’ve continued to meet people across the communities we serve through family events, community activities, presentations and local partnerships. From the Towneley Park Family Fun Day and events with Pendle Family Hub, to supporting activities in Preston, Workington, Whitehaven and across Cumbria, these conversations help us understand the needs of the communities we serve and show more people how they can save and borrow with confidence.
Our commitment to improving financial wellbeing has also continued through our Money Matters project. Through our financial education suitcase project, we provide primary schools with resources to help children learn about money in an engaging and practical way. We remain committed to reaching as many schools as possible and helping young people build positive money habits from an early age.
We have also continued to create welcoming spaces for younger account holders, with our Little Savers Corner at our Burnley branch providing a dedicated area where children can begin learning about money in a fun and accessible way.
We’re proud to support organisations making a real difference in our communities. This year we sponsored the Not-for-Profit Award at the Burnley Business Awards, celebrating the fantastic work of Burnley FC in the Community, and continued investing in our communities through donations, partnerships and community projects.
At our Annual General Meeting, we announced that £1.1 million would be returned to account holders through our Share of the Profits and Loan Interest Rebate – another reminder that, as a community bank owned by our account holders, our success is shared.
Recognition for what we do
Alongside our growth, we were delighted to receive Highly Commended in the Smart Money People Awards 2025 and to be named finalists for both Best Credit Union North and Best Credit Union Loan Provider 2026.
We also had the opportunity to represent Northern Community Bank at the Building Societies Annual Conference in Edinburgh, sharing ideas with organisations that are equally passionate about putting people first.
Still the same organisation. Still here for you.
Although our name has changed, the values that have guided us since 1982 haven’t.
We’re still owned by our account holders, not external shareholders. We’re still here to help people save, borrow and manage their money with confidence.
Our purpose remains as simple today as it was a year ago: making money easier for everyone.
Looking ahead
It’s hard to believe that a year has already passed since we became Northern Community Bank.
In that time, we’ve welcomed new account holders, introduced new products, supported our communities and continued to grow.
Thank you for being part of our first year as Northern Community Bank.
