A MAJOR annual conference of credit union workers is to be held in Swindon for the first time.

Usually venues in the North of England are chosen for the National Association of Credit Union Workers Annual Conference and General Meeting, as there are more credit unions in that region. But this year staff from Co-operative Futures, based in Swindon and Wiltshire, lobbied for it to be held in Swindon.

Credit unions are organisations developed to allow less affluent people, who might not use banks, to save and borrow money.

The conference will be held at the Goddard Arms Hotel in Old Town, running from November 4-6.

Swindon Mayor Stan Pajak will perform the opening ceremony, and South Swindon MP Julia Drown, a staunch supporter of credit unions, will be among the visitors expected to address about 100 delegates from throughout the country.

Conference organisers are on the lookout for firms willing to support it by providing items such as conference folders and stationery. Co-operative Futures' Swindon office can be contacted on Swindon 703506.

As well as encouraging people to learn to manage money and enabling them to save from the future, credit unions also keep clients out of the hands of loan sharks companies and individuals who prey on the financially vulnerable and charge excessive interest on loans.

Credit unions in Swindon include one covering Parks and Walcot and another originally covering Pinehurst, but which has extended to cover the whole of North Swindon.

Mr Brown added: "Credit unions mean people who are normally financially excluded have an opportunity to save money for themselves and just be the same as everybody else."

Conference co-organiser, Dorothy Brown, said: "Credit unions are of great benefit to everybody who uses them.

"They encourage people to save money and allow them to borrow money at low interest, which is something that lots of people would be otherwise unable to do because of their circumstances."