All Together Money Annual Conference 2026: Highlights from Two Days in Leeds

15/09/2026

The All Together Money Annual Conference 2026 brought the credit union movement together at The Queens Hotel in Leeds on 11 and 12 September for two days of insight, collaboration, celebration and forward-looking discussion.

Under the All Together Money name for the first time, this year’s conference welcomed credit union professionals, sector leaders, policymakers, regulators, partners and exhibitors from across Great Britain and beyond.

With a packed programme of plenary sessions, roundtables, workshops and networking opportunities, the conference provided a valuable opportunity for the movement to come together and consider the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of credit unions.

Government support and the future of financial inclusion

One of the highlights of the conference was an address from Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby MP, who spoke to delegates about the Government’s commitment to financial inclusion and the important role credit unions play in communities across the country.

Lucy outlined the Government’s plans to support the growth and development of the sector, including proposed reforms to the common bond framework and the £30 million Credit Union Transformation Fund for England.

The Minister’s address highlighted the opportunity for credit unions to play an even greater role in creating a fairer and more inclusive financial system, while recognising the importance of sustainable growth and collaboration across the sector.

Following the speech, Lucy joined a panel discussion with Rose Marley, Chief Executive of Co-operatives UK; Glenn Bemment, Group Head of Corporate and Commercial Banking at Coventry Building Society; and Matt Bland, Chief Executive of All Together Money, exploring the role of credit unions within the wider financial services and co-operative landscape.

Exploring growth, regulation and innovation

Across the two-day programme, delegates heard from a wide range of sector experts and practitioners on the issues that matter most to credit unions. Regulation was a key focus, with representatives from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) providing updates on the regulatory landscape and priorities for the sector, as well as engaging directly with delegates.

The conference also explored the opportunities presented by growth, scale and collaboration, including new research from the Swoboda Research Centre and international perspectives from the CUSO Focus Panel. The panel brought together credit union leaders from the United States to explore how shared services and collaboration can support credit unions to become more efficient, sustainable and ambitious.

The Credit Union Transformation Fund was also discussed, with Diane Burridge from Fair4All Finance joining Matt Bland to provide an update on progress, key milestones and what the next phase could mean for participating credit unions and the wider movement.

Technology and innovation featured prominently throughout the programme, with sessions exploring data, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and the changing needs of members.

Delegates also had the opportunity to take part in sessions covering governance, lending growth and underwriting, financial inclusion and the Warm Homes Plan, providing practical insight and opportunities to share experiences with colleagues from across the sector.

Developing the next generation of leaders

Supporting and developing the next generation of credit union leaders was another important theme throughout the conference.

The Young Professionals Network brought emerging leaders together to explore purpose, ethos and values, while creating space for participants to share their experiences and consider how they can help shape the future of the movement.

The conference also provided an opportunity to celebrate the latest cohort of the CU Futures programme, with the Credit Union Foundation hosting its graduation ceremony on Saturday evening. The graduation celebrated the achievements of the participants and recognised the importance of investing in the future leadership of the credit union movement.

All Together Money would like to thank the credit unions, organisations and individuals who continue to support the Credit Union Foundation and CU Futures, helping to provide valuable development, training and mentoring opportunities for future leaders.

A special thank you goes to CMutual for sponsoring Saturday evening’s CU Futures Graduation and for its continued support of the Credit Union Foundation since the programme’s formation. CMutual’s longstanding commitment, including its support for learning opportunities and prizes for winning Futures, has played an important role in helping the programme develop and support the next generation of credit union leaders.

Celebrating the people behind the movement

Alongside the conference programme, delegates came together for the All Together Money Annual Awards Ceremony, celebrating individuals and organisations whose commitment, leadership and contribution continue to make a difference across the credit union movement.

The evening provided an opportunity to recognise the achievements of those working across the sector and celebrate the people who contribute to the strength and success of credit unions and the communities they serve.

The Tracy Slane Award, which recognises emerging leadership and the contribution of young professionals to the movement, was presented to Leillah Curry of Commsave Credit Union.

The Kirit Patel Award, recognising outstanding voluntary contribution to the credit union movement, was awarded to Peter Armstrong of South Yorkshire Community Bank.

The Dolores Beckford Award, celebrating the contribution and achievements of women of colour within credit unions, was presented to Sally O’Hara of The Penny Post Group.

Four individuals were also recognised with Recognition of Service Awards, celebrating their commitment and contribution to the movement:

•    Chris Canham – Hoot Credit Union
•    Martin Groombridge – London Capital Credit Union
•    Kay Nicholl – Greenwich & Bexley Credit Union
•    Helen Nuttall – The Penny Post Group

Thank you to The Co-operative Bank, sponsor of this year’s Annual Awards Ceremony, for its continued support.

Looking ahead

The discussions in Leeds demonstrated that the credit union movement is entering an important period of opportunity. From Government investment and regulatory developments to technology, collaboration, growth and the development of future leaders, there are significant opportunities for credit unions to build on the progress already being made.

All Together Money would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the All Together Money Annual Conference 2026.