Crownsavers CEO, Dolores Beckford passes away

Tuesday 16 January 2024

The Board, staff and members of ABCUL are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of CEO of Crownsavers Credit Union, Dolores Beckford after a short illness.

In a statement on Crownsavers’ website, a spokesperson said: “Dolores has been an integral part of the Crownsavers organisation since its foundation and a hugely popular figure in the local community, and she will be sorely missed by all. All our thoughts are with Dolores’ family at this difficult time.

Dolores made a tremendous impact in ABCUL’s London & South East Forum and cared greatly for her credit union colleagues. General Manager of North London Credit Union, Julia Daniel who has known Dolores for a number of years, said: “Dolores genuinely, passionately cared, not just about her own credit union, but about the wider sector to which she had devoted so much of her working life.

“The many tributes I have seen coming in from CUs around the UK demonstrate how much she meant to people. I will miss her sense of humour, honesty and kindness – it was a genuine privilege to call her my friend.”

Chair at Thamesbank Credit Union, Mukesh Malhotra said: “She was an amazing lady who was passionate about helping her local community and others. Whenever I asked her a question the first thing she did was have a giggle with me before helping me with more than one idea.”

Longtime member of the ABCUL London & South East Forum, Don Kehoe said: “Dolores was a passionate leader for the credit unions in London and South East region and a solid and well respected chair of the forum. She will be well known to many as a regular attender to the ABCUL conference where she often spoke with insight from the floor on topical matters at the AGM. Her spirit and good humour will be greatly missed.”

Commenting on over ten years of friendship, former ABCUL Policy Manager and current CEO of Co-op Credit Union, Matt Bland said: “Dolores was someone whose passion, commitment and openness to challenge and to asking the awkward question inspired me from the moment I met her at my first ABCUL Annual Conference back in 2009.  She gave everything to her members and was a tireless servant to her credit union.  She was also someone who didn’t take herself too seriously and did everything with good humour and plenty of irony.

“It’s because of people like Dolores that I fell in love with credit unions and why I am happily leading a credit union 12 years after our first encounter.  I was deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Dolores passing and my thoughts as well those of my colleagues at The Co-op Credit Union are with our friends at Crownsavers and Dolores’ family at this truly terrible time.”

ABCUL CEO, Robert Kelly said: “It’s with a very heavy heart I send my condolences to Dolores’ family at this time.  I’ve had the privilege of knowing Dolores for a number of years and was always inspired by her enthusiasm, her straight talking and her determination to care for our sector and the community she served.

“Her contribution to Crownsavers Credit Union and the ABCUL London & South East Forum is immeasurable and will forever be remembered close to our hearts. She will be dearly missed among her colleagues and friends within the movement and her legacy will live long and strong.”