Dear Members,
On Friday evening, more than 1,300 members joined us, both in person at St Aloysius Club, Huyton and via livestream for our 37th Annual General Meeting, a night filled with community spirit, pride, and a real sense of how far we’ve come together.
With our Chair, Tony Denny, unable to attend, the meeting was led by Vice Chair Jenny France, who opened by welcoming members and reflecting: “We’re here because of you, and we’re stronger every year because of you.” It set the tone for an evening rooted in appreciation and community.
🌟 A Year of Progress, Purpose and People: Our CEO, Karen Bennett, delivered a powerful and heartfelt review of the past year, a year defined by growth, innovation, and impact. Karen reminded members that while the annual report highlights impressive figures, the true story is the lives behind them: “It’s not just the numbers. It’s the lives that we’ve touched this year, and that’s what makes the work we do truly meaningful.”
With nearly 25,000 members, we have continued to evolve our services, from 24/7 digital access to faster loan processing and expanded pop-up branches. Karen highlighted the dedication of our team throughout: “Every achievement in this report reflects the hard work, the creativity, and the passion of our incredible team.”
She also celebrated the countless unseen moments of support members experience every day: “There are countless moments behind the scenes that never make the headlines, but they matter, because they help our members.”
Looking ahead, Karen spoke with excitement and conviction: “Our vision remains steadfast: to evolve, to innovate, and to keep meeting our members’ needs in ways that truly make a difference.”
🏦 £1 Million Back to Our Members: One of the most meaningful parts of the evening was the approval of a 3% dividend, returning £1,000,000 directly to members. Danny, Head of Finance, reflected on how far the credit union has come since the challenges of the pandemic: “In 2020, we paid a 0.75% dividend. Tonight, we’re returning a full 3%, the equivalent of two ‘COVID dividends’. That shows how far we’ve come together.”
👥 Celebrating Our Team: We celebrated Employee of the Year, recognising the outstanding contribution of Finance Officer Joe Flanagan, whose positivity and commitment make a real difference to both the team and our members.
We also expressed our thanks to outgoing volunteers and Board Members, before welcoming two new Directors, Paula Skinner and Mark Campbell, whose passion for serving members was clear from their first words. Paula shared a powerful reflection after years of being a member herself: “I’ve worked in finance my entire life…I’ve never seen honesty and integrity as ingrained in an organisation as they are here.” Mark added: “Enterprise Credit Union has always been close to my heart, and I’m excited to help it continue to grow.”
All votes, both in the room and online, were approved, including the re-election of Tony Denny and Josh Austin to the Board for another three-year term, and a rule change allowing the Chair to serve up to four consecutive terms. Special thanks to our Head of Risk & Compliance, Phil Crawley, who stepped in to lead the voting in place of Paul Jones.
🎁 Celebrating Our Members: Congratulations to member Samantha Clarke, winner of the £100 prize draw and a £1,000 donation to Alder Hey Children’s Charity in her name, a beautiful moment of giving back. We also recognised member Sophie Gibney, who recently travelled to Ghana with Everton in the Community on a life-changing trip partly funded by ECU. Another example of the extraordinary things our members achieve.
🏙 A New Liverpool City Centre Branch: Members were excited to hear early news of a new Liverpool city centre branch, which will expand access and strengthen our presence right at the heart of the city.
💻 A Hybrid AGM Powered by Partners: A huge thank-you to Declan and the CU Apps team for ensuring our AGM reached members across the region online. Your support helps us stay connected, accessible, and future-focused.
💜 A Night That Showed Who We Are: Our 37th AGM was more than a meeting; it was a celebration of what makes ECU truly special: our people, our values, and our commitment to our members.
Please take a moment to read our Annual Report, which provides further insights into our achievements and financial performance. We look forward to another year of growth, impact, and shared success with all of you.
Thank you for being a vital part of our credit union.
ECU Team 😊
