South London Press, Tuesday, November 11, 2014
News
11
www.southlondon-today.co.uk
Fighting back against debt COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN JOINS FORCES WITH CREDIT UNION By HAYLEY RICHARDSON COMMUNITY groups in South London joined forces with their credit union branch to take a stand against pricey payday lenders and help residents plagued by debt.
MAGNUS ANDERSSON/44624MA05
Community organising group Citizens UK and members of Copleston, a church and community centre in Peckham, led a march down Rye Lane to hand-deliver 130 completed application forms to the local branch of the London Mutual Credit Union in Heaton Road. Citizens UK community organiser and Peckham resident Calum Green, 25, of Fenham Road, said the idea behind the campaign was to highlight services offered by the local credit union after many residents admitted they were struggling to make ends meet. “We were sick of the extortionate interest rates charged by payday lenders along Rye Lane trapping people in a spiral of debt that they often never recover from,” he said. Rev Paul Collier, centre manager of Copleston, said: “Debt is a huge problem in Peckham and destroys people’s lives. “I see the repercussions every day and it’s heart-breaking when, if only they went to a credit union instead, they would be much, much better off.” Mr Green said credit unions did not have the advertising budgets of many payday lenders, but provided a more personalised approach designed to help people get their lives back on track. Maria, a Peckham resident, said: “The
TEAMED UP: Members of the South London group of Citizens UK, Coppleston centre and London Mutual Credit Union 44624MA07 credit union treated me with dignity and helped me when no one else would. “Thanks to them, I’m on track with repayments and able to get on with my life.” The Peckham branch of the London Mutual Credit Union is open on Mondays to Fridays between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
‘Debt is a huge problem’ – Rev Paul Collier
ON THE MARCH: The community group heads through Peckham to the credit union branch 44626MA03