Fair Share Credit Union is 30 years old, but what is it. We find out more from the boss.
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00:00Here at the Octagon Room in Meeting Point House, Telford, and sir, introduce yourself.
00:04Hi, good afternoon. My name is John Harrower. I am the current Chief Executive of Fairshare Credit Union.
00:10And you're celebrating 30 years.
00:12Indeed, yes. We've been going since 1994, when we started as an employee's credit union for Weekend Council.
00:20Well, I was going to say, what is Fairshare then? What's it all about? What's the ethos?
00:24The simple explanation of Fairshare Credit Union is that we are a member-owned, member-run financial cooperative
00:32that provides a safe place for savings and, if needed, flexible and affordable lending.
00:39Yeah. So, 30 years strong in Telford, you're still based here in the centre.
00:43We have our main headquarters in town centre here in Telford.
00:47We service local communities of Shropshire, South Staffordshire, Telford Weekend and the Wild Forest.
00:55Got you. And how many people, customers, clients, do you reckon you support and look after?
01:01Currently, we have about 4,000 active members.
01:04Wow.
01:04Over the years, in the 30 years we've been going, we've had about 10,000 in total who've joined and subsequently left.
01:10Yeah. And what is the benefit for someone to be involved then with Fairshare?
01:15There's two or three reasons. Firstly, it gives people who may never have had a chance before
01:20to start a savings habit and that is one of our major objects.
01:24If necessary, you can borrow from us safely, securely and flexibly.
01:28Yeah.
01:29You are, if you stay with us, you are providing a pot of money
01:33that can then be used to help others in your local community.
01:36So, we need all levels of, all people across the socioeconomic divide to save with Fairshare.
01:44And we do have a number of altruistic savers and altruistic borrowers
01:47who could probably get better rates elsewhere that we then build up a pool of money
01:51that we can then use to further the growth and provide better services across our common bond.
01:56Fantastic.
01:57So, you're just about to start your speech, this won't keep you much longer.
01:59I see there's some sandwiches on the go in there
02:01and there's a few members who've been with you for the full 30 years as well, isn't there?
02:04Indeed, we've got some here today and they've got a mention in the speech that I'm without them
02:10and all credit unions have probably got something of a similar, credit unions wouldn't have survived.
02:15Yeah, yeah.
02:16Well, we'll let you enjoy the rest of the event and thank you sir, congratulations.
02:19Thank you very much indeed.