Charities benefit from Credit Union funds boost

Two Tameside charities are receiving a vital funding boost at the start of 2025, thanks to money raised through Manchester Credit Union’s Busy Bee Lottery.

The lottery is exclusive to credit union members and combines the opportunity to support local good causes with a chance of winning a monthly cash prize.

Last year, more than £16,000 was donated to local charities and community groups in the Greater Manchester area via the lottery. The initiative has raised more than £27,000 for charities since its inception in January 2023.

The latest local causes to benefit from Busy Bee Lottery funding include Tameside & Glossop NHS Charity and The Anthony Seddon Fund – a mental health support charity based in Ashton. Both have been awarded more than £1,700.

Tameside & Glossop NHS Charity, the charity of Tameside & Glossop IC NHS Foundation Trust, focuses on enhancing care and support provided to the local community, particularly for patients and their families.

The charity aims to improve the patient experience, create welcoming and supportive environments, and provide additional resources that bring comfort and reassurance during challenging times.

The Busy Bee Lottery funds will help transform the sensory room in Tameside Hospital’s Children’s Unit, creating a calming, interactive space to help children feel safe and relaxed during their hospital visit. It will also be put towards providing inspirational books for children in care.

Emily Burgin, Charity Manager at Tameside & Glossop NHS Charity, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Busy Bee Lottery for their generous donation, which will enable us to transform the sensory room in our Children’s Unit, helping to make hospital visits less daunting for children. Additionally, we’ll be able to provide ‘My Shining Star’ books to children entering care, giving them the encouragement and support they deserve. These projects are all about making a positive, lasting impact on young lives in Tameside and Glossop.”

Also receiving a Busy Bee Lottery award is Ashton-based charity, The Anthony Seddon Fund.  

Established in memory of Anthony Seddon, who died by suicide in 2013, the charity provides open-access services to support individuals living with mental health issues. It will use the Busy Bee Lottery award to keep peer support drop-in sessions running - an invaluable lifeline for individuals facing mental health challenges and social isolation.  

Harry Thomas, The Anthony Seddon Fund Chief Operating Officer, said: "This unexpected donation of such a large amount couldn’t have come at a better time for us. It will go towards keeping our peer support drop-in running five days a week – and maybe even a few cakes for our customers! We’re incredibly grateful to Manchester Credit Union and their members for their generosity."

Mandy Wilcock, chief executive of Manchester Credit Union added: “Once again, the generosity of our members has helped us to support charities making a meaningful impact in the Greater Manchester region. These organisations share our values and we are keen to bolster them as much as possible, as we continue to pursue our mission of helping people to improve their financial futures.”

As a member-owned, not-for-profit financial co-operative, Manchester Credit Union offers a range of services - from savings accounts, including one dedicated to Christmas, to fair and affordable personal loans with no application fees and no early repayment fees. The credit union is dedicated to helping people in Greater Manchester free themselves from a cycle of costly and stress-inducing debt.

Operating from three physical branches, Manchester Credit Union serves members in the City of Manchester, Bury, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and the High Peak.