Serve & Protect Credit Union Celebrates 40 Years of Supporting Members

24/09/2026

Serve & Protect Credit Union is celebrating 40 years since the founding of West Midlands Police Credit Union, marking four decades of providing ethical, accessible financial services to those who dedicate their lives to protecting and supporting others.

18 September marks 40 years since the founding of West Midlands Police Credit Union (WMPCU) in 1986.

WMPCU was established with a clear purpose: to help police officers and staff save regularly and access responsible borrowing through an accessible, ethical and co-operative service.

As one of the earliest founding credit unions, WMPCU became the starting point for a journey of supporting the police family. In 2003, WMPCU merged with six other police credit unions to create a single, stronger co-operative, enabling the organisation to extend its support to members on a national scale.

Four decades on, that original purpose remains central to Serve & Protect Credit Union.

The credit union continues to support officers and staff from West Midlands Police and almost 40 other forces, helping members save directly from their salaries, develop healthy savings habits and build greater financial resilience.

Today, Serve & Protect Credit Union proudly supports a community of more than 57,000 members across the police, prison, probation, military, fire and health services.

Reflecting on the milestone, CEO of Serve & Protect Credit Union, Paul Norgrove, said: “Looking back, it’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come. From humble beginnings in 1986 to now supporting more than 57,000 members across the Blue Light and Protective Services community, our growth has been built on the credit union principle of people helping people.

“Over the years, our membership has expanded beyond the police family to include colleagues from the Prison Service, Ministry of Defence, Fire Service and NHS. While the world around us has changed dramatically, our values have remained constant. We’re still here to provide ethical, accessible financial services and help those who dedicate their lives to protecting and supporting others.

“Together we have become one of the largest credit unions in the UK, and that achievement belongs to the incredible volunteers, staff and most importantly our members who have been part of that journey.

“Here’s to celebrating our past and continuing our mission for many years to come.”