Branches & agencies
‘Pay your bills’, the competition which saw Hinckley & Rugby Building Society giving out over £1,500 to 20 of Fosse 107’s listeners, has now drawn to a close, with the winners stating just how helpful the extra cash has been during the pandemic.
People have faced major changes because of Covid-19, affecting their finances and lives, meaning that payments can begin to pile up and cause added pressure during an already stressful time. As a specialist in savings and mortgages, the Society has seen first-hand the impact this can have on local residents, particularly in terms of their general and mental wellbeing.
The bills paid by the local building society included the likes of council tax, loans, home improvements and even phone bills, which was the case for Hannah, one of the winners in Nuneaton.
When Hannah submitted her competition entry, she highlighted that she is not currently working, because she has just had a baby, and wants to make sure she can stay in touch with her family and friends through phone and video calls. Hinckley & Rugby Building Society was so pleased to be able to make this happen so Hannah could contact her family, especially important due to the pandemic.
Another winner was Catherine from Shepshed, a casual dinner lady who feared not getting paid – due to the schools closing – would cause her and her husband to be short on their regular bills. Catherine and her husband have monthly outgoings which can be difficult to cope with when only on one salary. To help this couple, the Society paid their loan bill, which Catherine said would be a great weight off their shoulders.
Winning the competition has meant that all of the winners have had one less bill to worry about and the Society is glad to have helped so many families at a time when circumstances are uncertain for many people.
Its CEO, Colin Fyfe, says:
“The pandemic has had such an impact on people’s livelihoods and we recognised this and wanted to do something to help. As a mutual building society, our purpose is to support our local communities. So we were delighted to partner with Fosse 107, a local radio station, to give back to people in the area with our ‘Pay your bills’ competition. We were delighted with the number of entries and hearing the entrants’ stories, some of which were heart-warming and others sobering.
“I’m glad we’ve been able to alleviate the pressure caused by bills and we’re pleased to have made a difference during a time when there’s been so much disruption to people’s lives.”
