Credit Union Awards - their History & Purpose

The original National Credit Union Awards 2011 & 2012

Based upon knowledge of similar programmes in Canada and the USA, some seven years ago this was put to the Unity Trust Bank plc, the first promoters of the Credit Union Awards programme in the UK; the National Credit Union Awards (title copyright to UTB) were launched in 2011.

History of the ICULD&E Foundation  

In 2012, the ICULD&E Foundation was launched to promote the “Edward Filene Credit Union Awards for Performance Excellence - Great Britain and Ireland”, together with an Award for the “Overseas Development Educator of the Year" with independent Award judges of repute.  

The Overseas Development Educator Award subsequently developed into the "Joe Biden Awards for the Development Educator of the Year" from Africa, Asia, Australasia, the Caribbean and Europe.  

The Awards have five purposes

1. The "Filene" programme is set up to encourage credit unions and their activists to strive for and achieve performance excellence in serving their own fields of membership and wider communities, by engaging in various categories of activities with the effect of raising and promoting their profile.
2. The "Biden" Awards acknowledge the magnificent achievements of individual Development Educators working on a variety of projects to improve the lives and opportunities of the less fortunate in their countries. 
3. At an annual Awards Celebratory Dinner, to applaud the efforts of those taking part, creating publicity of their achievements and the unique credit union difference within their communities and the wider world.
4. Through this Celebratory Dinner, to raise funds to provide course bursaries to enable credit union activists and Development Educator graduates, lacking sufficient funds, to attend Development Educator programmes either in their home territory or overseas, and 
5. to give sponsors, donors and other supporters of the ICULD&E Foundation an opportunity to meet dynamic credit union activists at a joyous networking occasion.

To preserve the ethical values of the Foundation that mirrors credit unions, it does not appeal for nor accept any funds from any competitor organisation to credit unions or State aid.

“Today’s credit union leaders developing others for tomorrow”