CREDIT UNION

Our Story

Bridgend Lifesavers Credit Union was created by the merger in 2003 of the Bridgend County Credit Union and the Lifesavers Credit Union.

The idea for the Bridgend County Credit Union originated in Sarn with the aim of serving the communities around St Brides Minor. Supported by the local Community Council, a public consultation was held at the Sarn Community Centre in November 1997. A steering committee was formed with the intention of establishing a credit union, ambitiously now taking on the name of the Aberkenfig & District Credit Union. 

With the support of numerous fund-raising events, the Wales Co-Operative Centre, Bridgend County Borough Council, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and the Wales & West Housing Association, an application was finally made to the Registrar of Friendly Societies in the autumn of 1999.

This was successful and in 2000 the Bridgend County Credit Union was registered following a clear demand from other communities within the County. Doors were opened to the first members in April 2000 in Bettws, Brackla, Pontycymmer, Sarn and Wildmill – quickly followed by Pencoed.

The Lifesavers Credit Union had been established in 1996 as an employee-based credit union for NHS staff in Bridgend.

Both achieved considerable success but it was decided that more could be achieved by merging the two credit unions. The merger was approved by the Financial Services Authority and in April 2004 the merged credit union became operational with over 2,000 members.

Since that time, Bridgend Lifesavers Credit Union has grown considerably with a number of collection points within the community and branches in Sarn Lifelong Learning Centre, Bridgend and Pontycymmer.