The first steps towards a national network of churches, communities and credit unions was unveiled at a launch in the St Martin’s Hall at St Martin-in-the-Fields church on Tuesday night.
The event is supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Task Group on Responsible Lending and was chaired by the Bishop of Stepney, the Rt Revd Adrian Newman, who has a long track record in advocating credit unions and who is leading the campaign in the Diocese of London.
The Church Credit Champions Network (CCCN) aims to create a network of people who will bring together churches, communities and credit unions. The scheme is being piloted in three Church of England Dioceses – Southwark, Liverpool and London. The members will act as advocates for the credit union.
Bishop Adrian said:
“I am very excited about the launch of the Church Credit Champions Network. The leadership shown by Archbishop Justin and Sir Hector Sants has inspired us. We are aiming to train and resource churches in London and Liverpool to become key partners of their local credit union. This is a much-needed step in building the profile and strength of credit unions – which are a vital, ethical source of credit for our local communities.”
The launch also featured stories of churches which are already working closely with credit unions and enabled those attending to have a first look at new resources which are being developed by the network – including Bible study tools, videos and tips for getting a church congregation talking about money.
During the launch the keynote address was given by Sir Hector Sants, former Chief Executive of the Financial Services Authority and Head of Compliance and regulatory affairs for Barclays Bank, who convenes the Archbishop’s Task Group.
Sir Hector said:
“This is a grass roots initiative that will only succeed with the enthusiasm and engagement of the local Church. Central to this engagement will be the flexibility to adapt to local circumstances and the willingness to learn from all as we go along. I hope that today’s event will demonstrate to you the impact success in this area would have, not only on the mission of the Church, but also, crucially, on individual lives.
“In conclusion: I am confident that the successful implementation of the Credit Champions Network will equip churches to be even more relevant to their local communities, and transform the lives of the many people we hope will be served as a result.”
