Matthew visits Westminster

FAIRshare Finance Assistant, Matthew Butler, visited Westminster last Wednesday as part of the International Credit Union Day celebrations at the Houses of Parliament in London.

We’re really proud of Matthew!  In March this year, he was one of only 15 young people in the UK to be accepted onto the CU Futures programme, and this trip to Westminster was his latest CU Futures experience.

Matthew and his CU Futures colleagues started their visit in the Public Gallery, watching the parliamentary debate on Universal Credit.  “I have been to parliament previously and watched debates, but this was far more lively and better attended” said Matthew.  A short tour of Parliament followed, and Matthew impressed the tour guide by knowing the tiles in the Central Lobby  were made in Ironbridge!

The 2017 class of the CU Futures programme then joined the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Credit Unions for their fifth annual International Credit Union Day (ICUD) reception in the Strangers Dining Room.  Rachael Barber, Head of Community Development for Citi, welcomed delegates and expressed her particular pleasure in seeing the success of the CU Futures scheme which the Citi Foundation supports.   “We were lucky enough to meet Rachael last month” said Matthew, “and it’s very interesting to hear about other ways Citi Bank are helping the financial excluded, including investing in the development of people within the credit union movement.”

Mike Mercer, President & CEO of Georgia Credit Union Affiliates (USA) treated the meeting to a brief history of credit union development in the USA – where credit unions have over 100 million members and $1.3 trillion in assets.  “Mike was very informative and has lots of experience collaborating with credit unions internationally.  It was very interesting hearing about challenges faced in the US and his thoughts on the credit union movement in the UK.  The scale of the Credit Union movement in the US is very inspiring,” said Matthew.

The Minister for Pensions & Financial Inclusion, Guy Opperman MP, was able to briefly leave the 6 hour Universal Credit debate taking place in the Chamber in order to welcome credit unions to Parliament and to pay tribute to their invaluable work in extending financial inclusion.  He spoke about his own involvement with credit unions in the North East, and pledged the Government’s commitment for continuing to support the role of credit unions.  “It was very interesting to hear him speak and nice to know that the members on the APPG on Credit Unions have a good working knowledge in relation to credit unions”, said Matthew.

Jeremy Quin MP, the newly elected Chair to the APPG Group on Credit Unions, was joined in welcoming members of the Group, sector stakeholders and credit unions, by the Group’s Vice-Chair and long-timer advocate of credit unions, Yvonne Fovargue MP.  “Jeremy was very interesting, and was also kind enough to give a tour of Parliament.  He was interested in our opinion on Universal Credit and the impact it has on peoples finances” said Matthew.

“The day was very enjoyable and informative.  We even got to see a few “Credit Union Celebrities” from the BBC documentary “A Matter of Life or Debt”, concluded Matthew on his visit to Westminster.  Well done Matthew, and what a great opportunity!