Local Derby MP Visits Derbyshire Community Bank

04/08/2026

Baggy Shanker MP, the Member of Parliament for Derby South, visited Derbyshire Community Bank (DCB) on Friday 17 July to learn about the credit union’s work to support access to fair financial services across Derbyshire, and hear about how local SME leaders in the county are benefitting from a 90% government-funded leadership programme.

Last year, DCB merged with Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Credit Union as part of its ongoing aim to provide high quality, fair and community-focused financial services, while promoting financial wellbeing for people living and working in Derbyshire.

During the visit, Baggy Shanker MP met with Ola Timeyin, Finance Operations at Derbyshire Community Bank and a recent graduate of the Help to Grow: Management Course, alongside Orla Kelleher, Senior Lecturer and Help to Grow: Management Programme Leader at Derby International Business School.

The visit provided an opportunity for the Derby South MP to learn more about how the programme has strengthened problem-solving skills and helped contextualise day-to-day operational challenges within the wider business strategy. This has transformed how Derbyshire Community Bank approaches loan arrears, including identifying vulnerability earlier, improving how cases are assessed and managed, and considering the wider support members may need.

The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 90% Government-funded programme designed to help SME leaders develop the skills and confidence to grow their organisations. Delivered by Small Business Charter-accredited business schools across the UK, the 12-week course combines practical learning with one-to-one business mentoring and peer networking. Independent research has found that 92% of surveyed course completers report improved confidence in their ability to lead and manage their business.

Derby International Business School has been delivering the programme since the Help to Grow: Management Course launched in 2021. During his visit, Baggy Shanker MP heard how the business school has supported 260 small business leaders across Derby and the surrounding areas to complete the programme, helping local SME leaders to strengthen their leadership skills, improve resilience, and build more productive businesses.

Baggy Shanker MP commented: “Small businesses and co-operatives are essential to Derby’s economy, and the people behind them should have the chance to develop their skills and strengthen their organisations.

“That is why the Labour Government is investing in Help to Grow: Management, which gives those running small businesses access to management training and mentoring. At Derbyshire Community Bank, I heard how the course has led to changes in the way it supports local people, including recognising sooner when someone may be struggling and needs extra help. It is a clear example of government-backed training being put to good use here in Derby.”

Ola Timeyin, Finance Operations at Derbyshire Community Bank said: “As a community-focused lender, we treat all our members with dignity. Aligning that with our business objectives, the Help to Grow programme enabled me to see the bigger picture; the importance of partnership working with trusted organisations to both support our members to achieve greater financial confidence and long-term resilience and operate a successful savings and loans business.”

Orla Kelleher, Senior Lecturer at Derby International Business School and Programme Leader for Help to Grow: Management at Derby Business School, added:  “We’re proud to have supported 260 local business leaders across 13 Help to Grow: Management Course cohorts. This visit highlighted how forward-thinking SME leaders like Derbyshire Community Bank are using the knowledge, tools and confidence gained through the programme to upskill their teams, build organisational capability, and equip their businesses for future success. We’re excited to see local businesses in Derby continue to thrive and evolve, and we look forward to welcoming our next cohort in September.”