Summer news

Leith Rugby Youth Development Sponsorship?

Castle Community Bank has been proudly supporting Leith Rugby Youth Development since September 2023. Recently our Chief Executive Adrian Sargent went along to a practice day down at Leith Academy playing fields to see our sponsorship in action.??Leith Rugby Junior Convenor Alex Bowman and Treasurer Russell Duncan gave him a warm welcome and presented Adrian with a framed sponsored Leith Hawks shirt to say thank you for the community investment.?

Adrian said: “We’re really pleased to be able to invest in our community through Leith Rugby Youth Development shirt sponsorship. This is just one of the ways we can make a difference in our community. Social impact like this is important to both us and our members.”??

Alex said: “It’s great to have Castle Community Bank as a local supporter and sponsor. Leith Rugby develops youth rugby in Leith and encourages local boys and girls to take up sport and embrace the associated health and wellbeing benefits. We rely on community sponsorship to pay for everything from kits to pitch hire.”

Loans scammers targeting members?

Sadly, we are still seeing an increasing number of our members fall victim to investment scams.? The most common scam we have seen is the scammer masquerading as a financial adviser and promising?a great rate of return on an investment. The scammer then asks the victim to download an app to their mobile device which gives the scammer full control including access to any personal data on the device. Usually simultaneously the scammer?also asks the victim to open a new bank account often with a payment services provider such as Revolut or a new bank such as Chase.?The scammer then?applies for loans in the victim's?name or tells them to apply for loans. When?the funds are released to the victim’s primary bank account, they ask that the victim to transfer the funds?to the new account.?The scammer subsequently?withdraws the money and disappears.?

Castle Community Bank has?seen some of our members experience this scam which unfortunately leaves the member with the debt in their name and the problem of how to manage this debt.?The Financial Ombudsman has investigated some of the related complaints but have not upheld them advising the member has acted negligently in sharing their personal data with the scammer.?

So to avoid being in this situation can you please take a moment to remind yourself of the Take Five rules which can be found at:?Take Five - To Stop Fraud | Take Five is a national campaign offering straightforward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves against fraud. (takefive-stopfraud.org.uk). Remember if you are in any doubt about your position Castle Community Bank are here to support you and are happy to discuss any concerns you may have.?

Supporting women in business

Castle Community Bank Treasurer Mary Jane Brouwers took part in?Changing the Dial: How Female Entrepreneurs Access Financing?organised by Dr Wendy Wu, founder of the Impact Symposium. The Edinburgh Napier online event in May was?designed to help support and advance women in business.Mary Jane said:"I'm passionate about supporting female entrepreneurs. This event was an exciting opportunity for investors, entrepreneurs and those advocating for gender equality and diversity to support and advance women in business. Castle Community Bank is proud to support community wealth building in Edinburgh." ??

Members are making a difference?

A big thank you to our members who are now over 70,000 in number! As we approach our 39th?birthday in 2025 - established in 1986, with our new name Castle Community Bank established in 2015 - this is testament to our shared values as a community wealth building organisation. Thanks to you, we are able to help many families and individuals to access responsible lending products as well as invest in making a social impact in our communities.?If you'd like to share your story of why being a part of our community is important, get in touch!