Over 100 primary and secondary schools and colleges in England are set to pool resources, expertise and buying power in the first organisation of its kind in the UK — the Schools Co-operative Society (SCS).

Top marks for initiative and dedication during the cold spell go to the Co-operative Group’s Cheryl Melrose and Louise Maguire, who work in The Co-operative food store in Chapelhall, North Lanarkshire.

The Chief Executive of the Association of British Credit Unions, Mark Lyonette, has called on anyone thinking of borrowing from loan sharks to think again and make contact with a credit union instead.