[T]HE NEW general manager of Eden and South Lakeland Credit Union is Stephen Thorpe – and he says he is delighted to be making the move to this social enterprise in a district he knows well.
He grew up in West Yorkshire, on a smallholding in the Pennines, between the villages of Slaithwaite and Marsden. “On leaving home, I attended college at Newton Rigg, and thus have early links with Cumbria,” he said.
“On qualification, I worked as a forest manager for a private forest and landscape management company. Initially, I was based in Kent and Sussex before moving back to Yorkshire, and then being transferred to Scotland for some years.”
Promotion brought him back to Cumbria, and some years later he left the forest industry and was recruited by Impact Housing Association: “For 13 years I worked in their furniture re-use project, initially in the Penrith depot but then as manager of the Workington and Whitehaven units. Finally I returned to Penrith, managing the Eden and Carlisle depots.”
When he decided to move on from Impact a great new opportunity opened up: “I was delighted to be offered the post of general manager of Eden and South Lakeland Credit Union. Run predominantly by volunteers on behalf of its members, ESLCU is a not-for-profit social enterprise which aims to promote responsible money management, both saving and borrowing.
“Based in Penrith and with offices in Kendal and Aston, we offer saving accounts and competitive loans, particularly to those who may have struggled with managing their finances previously.”
Anyone interested in loans, savings or volunteering opportunities with ESLCU should call 01768 890065, or see www.edensouthlakelandcom.
