Published: June 26, 2014
Unity Trust Bank, a specialist bank for the social economy, has provided a £630,000 loan to long standing customer Age Concern Birmingham for the purchase of new headquarter facilities in Sutton Coldfield.
The new head office means the local charity has been able to bring its advice and information, befriending and day services together in order to provide the best possible service to older people, while also increasing its service provision more generally. It had previously been operating out of multiple separately rented sites and had been looking to move to new premises for a number of years.
Age Concern Birmingham Director of Development Richard Shaw said: “The purchase of our Boldmere Road office has meant that we now have a place where we can deliver consolidated, centralised and holistic services that benefit our service users. Equally, we are able to develop and improve our ability to fund our charitable work through greater commercial activity and scope. We have invested in our new high street property in an area with an older demographic so that as Age Concern Birmingham continues to develop, we can begin to offer more services directly from the ground floor of our building.”
Unity Trust Bank Relationship Manager for the Midlands, Mark Wilton, said: “As a specialist bank for the social economy, Unity Trust Bank aims to create positive social change through our business activity. We are proud to support charities like Age Concern Birmingham and are especially pleased to work with a local Birmingham organisation that has such an impact on its service users and the community. By investing in a larger centre we are supporting the future needs of an ever growing ageing population, enabling Age Concern Birmingham to integrate its current service provision, develop a community space and ensure a secure future that will meet the needs of many more people.
“Our socially responsible and sustainable approach to lending is what makes Unity part of the same social economy as our customers, and Age Concern’s work and impact is a perfect example of this. As charity sector specialists, we look forward to a continuing relationship with one of Birmingham’s leading charitable organisations.”
Richard Shaw said: “Everything we do is for the benefit of the local community and the older people within it. We are proud to bank with a Birmingham bank that understands our organisational needs and the social mission of Age Concern Birmingham.”
For information and advice on sustainable finance and banking services, please contact Unity Trust Bank on email:us@unity.co.uk or visit its website at: www.unity.co.uk.
