Lewisham Plus Credit Union secures funding to help support local people through the Covid-19 pandemic

Tuesday 16 January 2024

Lewisham Plus Credit Union, which has been serving the communities of Lewisham and Bromley from 1992, has received a share of £9.5m of National Lottery funding to help its community recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The £75,000 grant has been awarded through the Covid-19 Community-Led Organisations Recovery Scheme (CCLORS). The scheme is led by independent trust Power to Change in partnership with Locality, The Ubele Initiative and Social Investment Business, and was part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, that launched in May this year.

The grant will enable the Credit Union to establish a branch at New Cross Gate to serve the communities of Deptford and New Cross with much needed financial services.

Frank Whittle, President of Lewisham Plus Credit Union, said: “This grant will help us to return to the north of the borough through the establishment of a much-needed branch, providing valuable services to an area which is currently deprived of essential financial providers. We hope to make a difference to our community in this area and help them to prosper”

In total, 302 community-led organisations have received a total of £9.5million through CCLORS to help recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The total includes 205 community organisations led by, or that support, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

Grants of up to £100,000 have been awarded to community-led organisations in England facing severe financial difficulties as a direct result of the coronavirus lockdown. It has helped them to launch health and wellbeing projects, develop digital education workshops and continue providing vital services for their communities.

Vidhya Alakeson, CEO of Power to Change, said: “Whilst Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on people right across the country, it has disproportionately affected Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. By bringing together this strategic partnership, we’ve ensured this much-needed financial support is reaching those communities that need it most.”