On behalf of the Board of Directors it gives me great pleasure to present this our 13th annual report as President of the Harp and Crown Credit Union.

The business of the Credit Union has once again continued to grow from strength to strength and now has a membership total of over 8,200. Our shares have now reached over £17.9 million pounds with loans in excess of £12.9 million pounds.

With the current economic climate we continue to exercise caution and do take steps through our Credit Committee to protect our members and their savings.

I am pleased to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of the volunteers on the Credit Committee for closely monitoring all applications every two weeks. I also am appreciative to the Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee who also carry out their tasks voluntarily and as required. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff in the office, namely Jill, our Treasurer/Manager, Carol who is also a member of the Board, Elaine and Tori. Their dedication and hard work is a credit to the organisation and how it has grown particularly with the learning of our new software which is ongoing and at times challenging!

We continue to support and enjoy our relationship with PSNI Rugby Club who had another successful year. They make us feel most welcome at matches and occasions when we can attend and openly support us in return. I take this opportunity to wish them well in the rest of the season.

This year we continued to support charities and events by donating money to the National Police Memorial Day, Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, the Foyle Hospice, PSNI Football Team and the PFNI Lottery Golf Tournament. All were most appreciative and we wish each of them well in the incoming year.

Finally I look forward to all your support and you working with us for the incoming year which is going to prove very challenging as we undergo major change with the FSA Regulations for Credit Unions taking control on 31 March 2012. There is a lot to learn for all concerned but we must embrace this change so that we can continue to expand and strengthen this excellent service. Share a copy of this report with a colleague who may not yet be a member and let them see the many benefits of joining!

Fred Boyd.
President.