Merthyr’s Good Friendship Group Highly Commended at Welsh Credit Union Awards 2023

Congratulations to Jan Morgan and the Good Friendship Group from all of us a Merthyr Tydfil Borough Credit Union for winning the Highly Commended in the ‘Member Making a Difference’ category at the Credit Union of Wales Awards held in the Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay on International Credit Union Day, 19^th October 2023.

The Good Friendship was set-up in September 2017 to offer friendship and activities to local residents, no matter their age or ability.

With 25 members who meet twice weekly, paying a weekly sub everyone has a stake in the group, with all decisions talked through as a group, so complaints are kept to a minimum!

The Good Friendship Group offer a range of activities to its members including boccia, basketball, yoga, exercise and strengthening classes, vital for older people.

And they don’t just do activities, they’ve created two community gardens which have been cleared and planted, both of which for received awards in Wales in Bloom, celebrate birthdays of members, and day trips out and FREE transport is included to make sure member can attend without worry.

For many of the group it’s the only time they go out and when they eat together, the social atmosphere company leads to enjoying lunches rather than simply eating alone, so the group is boosting nutrition as well.

The Group support local businesses with their regular meals out to local restaurants to celebrate Member’s birthdays, they work alongside other community groups like Gurnos Men’s group and Jan visit local care homes to promote their activities and sign-up new members.

During the pandemic Jan made weekly visits to members ensuring that they had someone to help with shopping and a friendly face.

Jan’s a keen supporter of the Credit Union movement and is always promoting us to other groups like the St David’s Baby Bank who now bank with us.

We’re proud to have Member like Jan and the Good Friendship Group who’s making a real difference not just to lives of the group, but is also in regular contact with their families who have seen a positive change in the health and wellbeing of their relatives since attending.

As members and their families say it offers support fun exercise and so much more where they meet up with friends talk laugh as well as helping each other.