Celebrating Elise’s 25 years of service

This year marks a significant milestone for Elise, as she celebrates 25 years with No1 CopperPot Credit Union. Currently the Mortgage and Assurance Manager, Elise has witnessed the Credit Union’s evolution firsthand. As we commemorate this remarkable achievement, we took the opportunity to sit down with Elise to reflect on the changes she’s seen over the past quarter of a century.

“The biggest change has been how much the credit union has developed over the years,” Elise noted. “When I first joined, it was GMP Credit Union, serving only the Greater Manchester Police force. We expanded into North Wales and Cheshire around 2000, and eventually became nationwide. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come from those humble beginnings.”

Elise’s journey began in 1999 when the organisation was still a small team of five. “Back then, we didn’t have a marketing or finance team until Caroline joined a few years later. We all pitched in wherever we could. I mostly ran the front desk, handled loan processing, share withdrawals by cheque, and took deposits, which were often paid in cash.”

The physical and technological growth of No1 CopperPot is something Elise remembers clearly. “We moved to a bigger building around 2007 as the team really started to grow, and now we’re renovating that building to accommodate future growth!” she recalled, highlighting our ongoing expansion.

The early days were quite different from today’s tech-driven environment. “When I first joined in 1999, I remember we had big bulky PCs and only one machine had an internet connection on it, which we had to take turns to use! A typewriter was used to draw up loan agreements, and most of our member communications were either face-to-face, by post, or fax. There was no email or website back then.”

The introduction of email and the launch of the website in the early 2000s were significant turning points. “Those changes helped us reach more members and expand our common bond nationwide. From then on, we started improving our services, introducing a members’ area on the website, BACs payments, and direct debits. We also launched ISAs and mortgages in the late 2000s.”

Reflecting on the years, Elise acknowledges that while there have been challenges, these developments have been key to No1 CopperPot’s success. “There have been many changes over the years, and although we’ve faced challenges, they’ve all contributed to the Credit Union becoming what it is today. I’m very proud to have been part of this journey.”

As No1 CopperPot Credit Union continues to grow and evolve, Elise’s dedication and contributions over the past 25 years highlight the importance of our staff members and the impact each team member has on the success of No1 CopperPot’s journey. Thank you Elise, and here’s to many more years with you!