Midlands-based credit union Fairshare marked its 30th year of operation last week at its headquarters in Telford.
The credit union invited members, colleagues past and present, and organisations that have supported it over the years to a celebration Wednesday 24 January.
Guests included members who have been with the credit union for its entire 30-year lifetime, as well as Shrewsbury deputy mayor Alex Wagner, who were welcomed by Fairshare’s chair Matt Cuhls and CEO John Harrower.
Harrower told the Shropshire Star the credit union’s main goal is to help people start a savings habit when they have never had a chance before, and to offer loans to those in need.
Emphasising the need for members to join from “all levels of the socio economic divide”, Harrower said those who save or borrow with Fairshare are contributing to a collective pot that can be used to support others in the community.
Fairshare, which serves members living and working in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, South Staffordshire and The Wyre Forest, was established as the Wrekin Council Employees Credit Union on 1 September 1994.
The credit union changed its name to Fairshare in 2000 and members voted to expand its common bond beyond council workers to include everyone who lived or worked in the borough of Telford & Wrekin.
This expanded in 2012 to include everyone who lives or works in Shropshire, and again in 2022 to include South Staffordshire.
Since its launch, Fairshare has grown from 155 to 4,000 member owners, and has served over 10,000 members in total across its lifetime.
