On October 19th, 2017 First Choice Credit Union will join more than 68,800 credit unions around the world to celebrate the Credit Union Movement and the positive impact they play in local communities.

Since 1966 First Choice Credit Union has been proudly serving communities in Mayo and now has a membership of over 28,000 with assets worth over €190 million. In the past year alone, First Choice Credit Union has provided over €17.5 million in loans within the community. To celebrate these achievements as well as those of the global credit union movement, the credit union has planned a number of festivities to mark International Credit Union Day®. We don’t want to give away too much yet so keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages over the next week or so. What we can tell you is that we’ll be having our members draw live on the Market Square, Castlebar on the 19th.

The theme of this year’s annual celebration is ‘Dreams Thrive Here’ which was chosen to reflect how credit unions serve as catalysts to make different personal choices and career paths a reality. Worldwide, 68, 882 credit unions in 109 countries serve 231 million members. In Ireland, as in other countries, credit unions with their not-for-profit and member-first ethos provide effective and viable alternatives to for-profit financial institutions.

Speaking about the activities to mark International Credit Union Day, Anne King CEO at First Choice Credit Union said: “First Choice Credit Union, like all credit unions, shares a common goal to offer access to affordable financial services to all of our members. We strive to provide even the most financially disadvantaged sectors of our communities with the tools and the opportunities to be financially self-sufficient – and to help them on the road to achieving their hopes, dreams and goals. This is why the theme this year is so apt and captures the credit union difference that makes a real, positive impact on the lives of people in the Castlebar, Balla, Ballyhaunis, Achill, Carnacon & surrounding areas.”

International Credit Union Day has been celebrated annually since 1948 in the month of October. The international event affords credit unions across Ireland the opportunity to remember the proud history of the credit union movement here, which began in 1958, and to promote awareness of the credit union difference.

For further information, please contact Shane at First Choice Credit Union, Tel: 094 9022969 Email: info@fccu.ie or Web: www.firstchoicecreditunion.ie