Credit union raises money for Mansfield's homeless in run-up to Christmas

The stall was set up by the Mansfield branch of the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Credit Union, which helps less well-off families and individuals access affordable loans and set up savings accounts.

As well as raising awareness of its own work at a time of year when many people feel the pinch, it also decided to help Mansfield Soup Kitchen.

A ‘teddy-bear tombola’ and a grand raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses, generated more than £200.

The Church Street soup kitchen, which relies on donations, gives the homeless a hot meal every Wednesday evening, and supports them with much-needed items, such as food parcels, toiletries, sleeping bags and hot-water bottles.

The tombola followed an appeal on Facebook for donations of unwanted teddy-bears or soft toys.

More than 100 were received, and all were shown off by party princesses Anna and Cinderella, who added some glamour to the credit-union stall on what was a fun day.

"It was good, and we all enjoyed it,” said Sally Gregory, one of the branch’s loans assessors.

The credit union operates from Clumber Street in Mansfield, where it supports hundreds of residents needing financial help or guidance.

As Christmas approaches, many come under increasing pressure, but the stall preached the message ‘hello to affordable loans, goodbye to high-cost credit’.

Sally added: “We want to keep people away from the loan sharks and doorstep lenders.

"We see a lot of people struggling at the moment, and things have got worse since Covid-19. Some don’t realise we are here, but what we offer is brilliant.”