Ace Credit Union Services

20/07/2026

Congratulations to Andy Burnham on becoming the United Kingdom's Prime Minister. Wishing him every success as he takes on one of the biggest jobs in public life at a time of significant challenge and opportunity for our country.
On a slightly personal note, I'm allowing myself a little smile today.
Earlier this year, Andy had kindly agreed to deliver the keynote address at the ACE Credit Union Services Conference before events took a rather unexpected turn! Safe to say, becoming Prime Minister is a fairly reasonable excuse for cancelling.
So here's hoping...
Prime Minister Burnham, the invitation for ACE Conference 2027 is already there. Our credit unions across England, Scotland and Wales would be delighted to welcome you when your diary allows.
Congratulations once again, Prime Minister.

02/07/2026

I was reading through the Government's Pride in Place guidance this week and spotted something that made me smile.

The document encourages support for co-operatives, social enterprises, Community Interest Companies and... "credit units."

I'm fairly sure they meant credit unions! 😊

Typos happen, but it does highlight something more important.

Credit unions have been supporting financial inclusion, community wealth building and local resilience for decades. Pride in Place is a fantastic opportunity to build on that experience, and credit unions should have a seat at the table as local investment plans are developed.

At ACE Credit Union Services we've already started supporting member credit unions to identify whether they fall within a Pride in Place area, who they should contact, and how they can engage with their local Neighbourhood Board.

Over the coming weeks we'll also be bringing together a Pride in Place Credit Union Peer Network for credit unions across England, Scotland and Wales, giving members the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and good practice as these programmes develop.

If you're a credit union operating in a Pride in Place area and would like to get involved, we'd love to hear from you.

And if anyone in Government is reading this... it's credit unions 😉'

18/06/2026

Financial inclusion, child poverty. Is something we should all care about. Ace Credit Union Services knows this first hand. As we see Credit unions at the coal face.

'Derby currently experiences some of the highest levels of child poverty in England'

18/06/2026

When you see folk having a great time making new friends talking about credit unions. Ace conference 2026. We get bigger and stronger every year. Here is to 2027.

19/03/2026

It’s encouraging to see the continued commitment to growing the co-operative and mutual sector:

“I’m proud that this Labour Government is working hard to double the size of the co-operative and mutual sector. Financial co-operatives like credit unions are an important part of that commitment…”

As a Co-operative and Labour politician, and CEO of ACE Credit Union, these are values I see in action every day—supporting communities and expanding fair access to finance.

Thank you to my board member for representing ACE at last night’s event—your leadership makes a real difference.

12/03/2026

23/02/2026

I am pleased to share a positive for our campaign supporting vulnerability and family funeral plans. The success reflects the strength of our credit union community standing up for the vulnerable impacted by the removal of family funeral plan. More urgent talks will take place over the coming weeks. But it is a clear demonstration of community power.

18/02/2026

Behind every small credit union is a story that shows just how close they are to the communities they serve. This credit Union has and is served by volunteers only.
Bernie was a young mum and a Marie Curie nurse when she first approached her local credit union. After a previous house repossession, her credit history made mainstream borrowing difficult. At the same time, her baby had just started crawling — and the uneven cement floor in their flat had become a real worry.
She didn’t need a large loan. Just a few hundred pounds to make her home safe.
Her credit union listened. They provided an affordable loan, alongside a savings plan to help her build financial confidence and security.
That first loan was repaid — and it was just the beginning.
Over the years, Bernie accessed further loans as her circumstances improved. She later became a volunteer with the credit union, developing new administrative skills at a time when she was feeling burnt out from her work in palliative care. Those skills helped her move into a new role as an administrator at a local health centre.
Today, the impact continues. Her “baby” is now 23, a credit union member himself — and recently received a loan for his first car.
As Bernie reflected:
“I can handle death and bereavement, but dealing with money REALLY scared me.”
This is the difference smaller credit unions make every day — understanding people’s situations, offering support without judgement, and helping families build confidence, stability and opportunity for the future

27/01/2026

This is a really important consultation for the sector. Time is running out the 30th of January is the cut-off date.
https://fair4allfinance.org.uk/request-for-input-on-how-we-prioritise-the-use-of-our-new-dormant-assets-funding/ Thats my day sorted!

Earlier this year, the Government confirmed further dormant assets funding to Fair4All Finance to help advance financial inclusion priorities. With the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy now published, this is an opportune moment to ensure our next programmes and workstreams align with sect...