A Bradford credit union has been talking big money with a High Street bank for years.

It has become a large-scale community business - and is hailed as one of the best in the country.

The St Columba's Credit Union is one of the longest-running in the country and has been assisted by the TSB bank for the 24 years it has been running - even surviving the bank's merger with Lloyds.

The Lloyds TSB group is now offering a new package of support for community credit unions which are serious business in Bradford and other cities.

One credit union in Glasgow has assets of more than £2 million and thousands of members.

Gordon Pell, group director of UK Retail Banking Lloyds TSB, said: "We recognise the important role that community credit unions have in defeating financial exclusion and providing a springboard for people to move into mainstream banking services.

"This initiative further reinforces our existing community support programme," he added.

Formed in 1974 around the local catholic church, St Columba's Credit Union describes itself as a parish credit union.

To be a member of the organisation, which is managed by Joseph Yewdall, you have to be a resident on the Holme Wood or Bierley estates.

The credit union, which was set up in the 1960s, has grown massively and now has 1,500 members as well as 600 children participating through a separate school development programme. It now has assets of £740,000 and last year made loans totalling £540,000. It offers loans up to £5,000 above the amount a member has saved at a rate of 12.68 per cent.

Joseph Yewdall said: "We believe we have a solidarity with the members because those running it are from the community it serves."

The TSB helps by allowing the credit union to pay people's wages directly into its bank account if they find it difficult to budget on a weekly or monthly salary. That allows them to make withdrawals when they need the cash.

For further information on St Columba's Credit Union contact Joseph Yewdall on 01274 652042.

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