Enniskillen Credit Union is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with one family being synonymous with the credit union from almost day one.

Current treasurer Martin McAloon followed his father Peter, who served as Vice Chair from the late 60s’, and between them they have clocked up nearly 60 years of volunteer service to one of the most well know institutions in Fermanagh.

“My dad was account number 14, so he was there from almost day one, and later he was instrumental in setting up a number of different credit union’s throughout Fermanagh and Tryone,” Martin explained.

Peter McAloon was an advocate for the community based financial service and his fingerprints can be traced back to the origins of unions in Kinawley, Newtownbutler and Aughnacloy to name but a few.

It was almost inevitable that Peter’s son Martin, would follow in the family tradition and not long after joining the board of directors in 1990 he found himself as treasurer:

“Tim Morrisey, the then treasurer, took me under his wing and I just went from there. It was very different back then obviously. There were no computers. It might take two people two nights just to get the monthly reports done,” he explained.

The Credit Union has a motto. “Not for profit, not for charity, but for service”, and it is something that has held firm throughout its existence.

“We are a genuine alternative for people,” Martin explained before adding:

“People have certain ideas about the Credit Union but often when they come in and talk to us they find we are very different. We want people to know that the door is open to them, that we are always here and that we will try to do everything we can to help them. I think people find that they can trust us more. They realise we are not in it for profit and that we want to help the community.”

Celebrating its 50th anniversary the Enniskillen Credit Union are hoping that they can use the milestone as a way to raise awareness. Martin and his fellow directors want people to know that Credit Union is something that is part of the fabric of the community and that it is not only an excellent vehicle in which to save money but also with which to borrow money.

“We want to lend money. And the fact we are not for profit people know that we are not in it for money. But you can borrow money for all sorts; a new washing machine, a new kitchen, a family holiday, a new car and we want to get that message out there to people,” Martin stated.

For the past almost 30 years Martin has juggled full time work with his volunteering with the Credit Union.

He has been a storeman, he has driven trucks, he has worked for BT and now he works with the Western Health and Social Care Trust. During all that time his commitment to the Credit Union has remained absolute.

“I think the role of treasurer needs umpteen people in the background working very hard, just so I can do my job. There are so many people who give their time on a volunteer basis and without the volunteers it simply would not exist,” Martin said before concluding;

“I suppose my one wish is that I would like to see the Credit Union grow. I want to see more people use and more for more people to see what help we can give them.”