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Sittingbourne church opens community bank | Sittingbourne church opens community bank |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The first community bank to open in a church in Kent has started trading in Sittingbourne. | The first community bank to open in a church in Kent has started trading in Sittingbourne. |
The Murston Community Bank is operating at All Saints Church as part of the credit union Kent Savers. | The Murston Community Bank is operating at All Saints Church as part of the credit union Kent Savers. |
It will provide savings accounts and an alternative to payday loan companies, offering an APR of 26.8% as well as pastoral and spiritual support. | It will provide savings accounts and an alternative to payday loan companies, offering an APR of 26.8% as well as pastoral and spiritual support. |
Church volunteers will run the bank, which will also work with 15 partners such as Citizens Advice. | |
The launch of the bank follows the Diocese of Canterbury's partnership with Kent Savers in October 2013. | The launch of the bank follows the Diocese of Canterbury's partnership with Kent Savers in October 2013. |
'Huge enthusiasm' | 'Huge enthusiasm' |
That was inspired by the Archbishop of Canterbury's call for the Church to be more proactive against debt and payday lenders. | |
Kent Savers is owned and controlled by its members, and run on a not-for-profit basis. | Kent Savers is owned and controlled by its members, and run on a not-for-profit basis. |
Assistant curate the Reverend Lesley Jones said: "People in the community have told me they are struggling with money, debt, isolation and that they need help. | |
"This is our response as a church, we want to help in practical ways where we can, and by opening Murston Community Bank as a local branch of Kent Savers we can do that." | "This is our response as a church, we want to help in practical ways where we can, and by opening Murston Community Bank as a local branch of Kent Savers we can do that." |
The Reverend Canon Caroline Pinchbeck, director of the Diocese of Canterbury's Communities and Partnerships Framework, said: "This community bank is evidence of the huge enthusiasm and need there is for this initiative within the community. | |
"It is a testament to the excellent partnerships which have been forged, and the generous amounts of goodwill which have enabled building work, printing and the provision of other resources to take place. | |
"As a diocese, we hope that Murston Community Bank will become a model to replicate, and that it will resource other churches across the county." | |
The bank is open each weekday morning between 10:00 and 12:00. |
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