CroydonPlus was originally established in 1999 as Croydon Savers Credit Union Ltd (Croydon Employees Credit Union); a credit union for Croydon Council staff.
In 2004 we expanded our membership, savings and loans services to anyone living or working in Croydon and in 2010 changed our name to Croydon Merton & Sutton Credit Union to reflect our expansion into Merton and Sutton. In February 2016 we changed our name to CroydonPlus to mark the beginning of a sustained process of modernisation for current and new members, as we respond to the opportunities and challenges of financial services in the digital age.
As we have grown, our purpose has remained the same: to provide local people with an accessible, secure and ethical way of saving and borrowing money.
While our new names is CroydonPlus, we continue to trade as Croydon Merton & Sutton Credit Union and we’re authorised by the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (Firm number 213603. Registration Number 569C) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Members savings are protected through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
Our office team based in Croydon look after daily transactions and operations. The team includes paid staff and volunteers, with both providing support to customers at additional locations in Merton and Sutton.
The Credit Union is managed by a Board of Directors. A Loan Panel and Supervisory Committee assists the Board and office team.
Today, we still have the same goals as when we were formed but we are moving with the times and responding to our members changing needs.
We continue providing a safe, ethical and affordable way of helping our members manage their money.
“Many thanks for taking time out to speak to me today.
I would like to appreciate your service, attitude and politeness. It was pleasing to speak to you… I am very proud to be a member of your great company”.
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Meet the Team
Michael Wilson | CEO
After working as a Customer Service Manager for several years, Michael went into Retail Banking to help people with an issue that really mattered, Finance.
Michael worked in Retail Banking for 9 years before feeling the need to make a change. At this point he became aware of the Credit Union Movement within the UK and once he became aware of the support and personal care that Credit Unions provide to their members and communities he didn’t hesitate to get involved!
Michael is very proud to be the CEO of CroydonPlus, however don’t let the title mislead you. Members will quite often find Michael on the end of the phone, Mobile Chat or even on the other side of the Customer Service Desk. This is one of the areas Michael is extremely proud of and will never let go, as he loves to be able to deliver customer service first- hand and balances this with his finance experience.
Outside of work Michael spends a lot of time with his family and loves to cook. Time permitting, he likes to be sociable and cannot live without music and movies.
Peter Robinson | Operations Manager
Peter has worked within the Finance and Banking Sector since leaving school. During his 30 year service with his last employer he has worked his way through a number of roles, including Cashier, Data Processor, Securities Clerk, Project Manager, Internal Control and Regulatory Reporting
Having joined the CroydonPlus team in September 2019, Peter is responsible for increasing awareness of the Credit Union and ensuring its members receive the best customer experience as possible, together with looking for ways to improve productivity and staff development. Peter’s favourite role however, is when he can interact with members, whether that be on the phone or in person.
In his free time Peter is an avid Crystal Palace fan and enjoys taking time out at the gym.
Stephanie Hunt | Operations Support Officer
Originally from a financial background, Steph went on to work as a Claims Manager within the Insurance Industry gaining over 12 years of customer service experience, helping people in their time of need. After the birth of her first child, Steph decided that it was time for a new challenge and joined us in 2017 as a Credit Control Officer.
Steph is known for being organised and forward thinking, with a passion for excellent customer service. Since returning from Maternity Leave in 2019 after the birth of her second child, Steph has taken on a new position within our organisation, as Operations Support Officer. This new role has given Steph the opportunity to work on several projects, all of which will help CroydonPlus Credit Union to continue to grow and help to provide our members with the service they deserve!
Steph has recently got married and loves nothing more than spending quality time with her family and friends. When she isn’t running around after her two small children, she enjoys cooking and on the rare occasion that she gets to sit down, Steph loves to take time out with a good book!
Niyi Osilaja | Customer Service & Administrative Officer / Manual Tester
Niyi graduated with BSc Mathematics from The University of Manchester. Still keen on studying, Niyi originally joined us as a volunteer in 2014 whilst studying for a Statistics Graduate Diploma at Birkbeck London University. After completing the course, he was offered a permanent role as Customer Service & Administrative Officer in 2016.
Niyi is known to be an all-round performer within the team and has the flexibility to cover several positions including managing deposit allocations, new membership applications and assisting members at our Customer Service Desk. Niyi prides himself on being very approachable for both our members and colleagues. Furthermore, with IT skills at his disposal, he regularly updates the website & social media, as well as assisting members registering for online services and accessing our Mobile App.
Niyi’s sense of humour is what attracts many people to him, both in and outside of work. He enjoys going to the cinema, playing computer games, surfing the net, and reading IT magazines, practicing Tae-Kwondo and Clarinet, as well as spending time with friends and family. He dreams of travelling around the world. Truly proficient in technology, he is always looking to improve his career and his lifestyle.
Annie Bassey | Credit Control/ Customer Relations Officer
Annie is a Law Graduate with an array of experience within Probation Services and the Financial Sector. She has previously worked for large organisations, including the Financial Ombudsman so has a great understanding for the way a financial organisation should work.
Annie initially joined CroydonPlus in 2018 as a Credit Control Officer, on a Maternity Cover contract and has since moved over to her new role of Customer Relations Officer. Annie is often one of the first facesthat our members see when they visit the Croydon Desk and she really enjoys interacting with all our members.
As a mother of two, it is important to Annie that she has an employer that understands the importance of family and values its employees and their personal development. Annie is immensely proud and happy to work for CroydonPlus.
In her spare time, Annie enjoys cooking, spending time with her family and going to the theatre and opera. She also loves being close to nature and spends as much time as she can enjoying the great outdoors.
Hayden Brenen | Member Solutions Officer
Hayden studied at the BRIT School in Selhurst so is no stranger to the Croydon Area. Having worked in Retail Banking for 5 years, Hayden decided to make the move to CroydonPlus, to take on a fresh challenge and try and do more for the local community.
He prides himself in taking ownership of tasks and problem solving, going the extra mile to make sure any query or question is resolved and enjoys daily conversations with our members, getting to know them as people rather than just membership numbers.
Hayden is also a singer songwriter and DJ so when he is not working with us, you can find him in the studio writing or performing his music live!
Vilma Courtino | Volunteer
Vilma has had a long career in the financial sector, gaining a variety of skills which she wanted to put to good use after being made redundant in 2016.
Vilma has been volunteering for the Credit Union for the last four years and is a valuable asset to the team.
When asked what she enjoys most about volunteering for CroydonPlus, Vilma said: ‘I enjoy coming to work to keep me busy as well as helping the community’.
Loans Officer
The role of the Loans Officer is to manage all aspects of the Loans Approval Process. They are responsible for guiding members through the loan options that we have available to them, reviewing loan agreements, approving loans that are acceptable and preparing and arranging completion of the loan agreements. The Loans Officer is also available to assist members in identifying realistic financial goals and proposing ways of making these goals achievable.
Finance Officer
The role of the Finance Officer is to be responsible for lots of the ‘behind the scenes’ tasks. They manage the organisations finances and prepare financial reports based on their findings throughout the year. As a Finance Officer, attention to detail is paramount and we are continuously reviewing all transactions to ensure that the organisation continues to be able to provide our members with the financial solutions and security that they need.