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Welcome To Issue 6 of Mutual magazine
As summer starts to draw to a close and we sadly wave goodbye to the multiple heatwaves we’ve enjoyed over the past few months, I decided my note this time would not only be reflective but also to look ahead to the exciting projects and improvements we have been working on this year, which I cannot wait for our members to see in 2026. I will keep you in suspense on those for now, but all will be unveiled in Issue 7...
As this is the final issue of Mutual this yearit made me reflect on the progress and the determination my colleagues display right across the organisation, to improve and develop our relationships with our members. We know there are always challenges, some of which we cannot always control, but I know my teams always relish these occasions and I do feel a sense of pride in how we always have our members at the heart of everything we do and deliver.
I’m always astounded by the stories my colleagues share and again there are some amazing and heartwarming achievements in Issue 6…from running ultra-marathons (sounds exhausting) to helping young people with money advice…and all those in-between…a great reason to make yourself a hot drink and settle down to read. We are immensely proud of all the achievements and support our colleagues provide to the community and local initiatives.
We’ve also confirmed our charity grants we’re supporting for the next 12 months, and I’m delighted to say that we’ve included stories from each of those in this issue. It’s incredible to read how these projects have transformed their communities and surrounding areas –truly inspiring.
There is also another important update from Youth Talk, and it’s the turn of our Tring and Radlett branches to tell you all about their latest news. During this month is UK Savings Week and we’ve included some great advice and guidance – some brilliant information has been supplied by the Building Societies Association which is well worth a read.
We’re always looking to provide helpful insights in how to stay protected from fraud and we’ve included some informative cyber security videos and advice against doorstep scams - something we’ve seen that is very topical currently. And I’m pleased to say that Jon returns with his savings blog – always topical and always helpful, with a few drops of humour added in for good measure.
We’re committed to delivering information that’s both useful and relevant to you. If there’s anything you’d like to learn more about – whether it’s online security, avoiding scams, or any other topic – please don’t hesitate to reach out to our editorial team.
And, of course, we’d love to hear your own stories and accomplishments. Sharing them in future issues is one of our favourite ways to connect with our community.
Enjoy reading Issue 6 and thank you for being such an integral part of our Harpenden family.
Tracie Pearce Chief Executive
Tracie
HARPENDEN HOPPER
HBS GRANT £4,000
More than just a ride
The Harpenden Hopper is a community minibus service that has become much more than just a means of getting from A to B. The Hopper is a lifeline for many, a vehicle of inclusion and independence, and a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a common purpose. The Harpenden Hopper community minibus is operated by registered charity, Harpenden Connect Limited.
Our journey so far:
How the Harpenden Hopper began
The story of the Harpenden Hopper is one of dedication and collective action. Launched in response to the growing demand for accessible local transport, the service was a project championed by a group of residents, supported by the town council, and made possible through the efforts of passionate volunteers.
The catalyst for the Hopper’s inception was the gap in commercial bus services in and around the residential areas of the town. This was leaving many residents, mostly the elderly, struggling to get to shops, GP surgeries, social events, and other essential destinations. Recognising this, a group of local volunteers banded together to create a solution that would keep Harpenden’s neighbourhoods connected.
How the Harpenden Hopper works
The Harpenden Hopper operates a fixed route around the town, with scheduled stops at key locations such as the high street, community centres, and residential areas. Running every weekday, the service is designed to be as convenient as possible.
Passengers can board at designated stops or request a pickup at specific points along the route, thanks to the 'hail and ride' system. This hybrid approach allows the minibus to serve both central and more outlying areas of Harpenden.
The people behind the wheel
One of the cornerstones of the Hopper’s success is its team of volunteer drivers - local heroes who give their time to help neighbours stay mobile and connected. Many drivers are retired professionals. For them, driving the Hopper is not just a task - it’s a chance to catch up with friends, listen to stories, and contribute to the fabric of community life.
The impact of the Harpenden Hopper extends far beyond transportation. For many the Hopper is a lifeline. It offers independence to older residents who want to visit the shops or meet friends for coffee and has the potential to offer young people safe passage to after-school clubs and sports activities.
What’s more, the Hopper has become a social hub on wheels. Regular passengers form friendships and look out for one another, turning ordinary journeys into opportunities for conversation and laughter. The friendly atmosphere on board reflects this.
Moreover, every year the volunteer drivers arrange a summer tea party for the passengers taking place in the gardens of St Nicholas Church Hall. This year about 60 passengers were served tea/coffee and delicious homemade cakes by many of the volunteer drivers who turned out wearing their bright green polo shirt uniforms. And, of course, they all arrived on the Harpenden Hopper itself.
VOICES FROM THE HOPPER
Take Rita, for example - a long-time resident who credits the Hopper with keeping her active and engaged: "Without the Hopper, I’d be stuck at home most days. It’s not just the shopping trips - it’s the company and the sense of independence I value most." Stories like Rita’s are echoed by many who rely on the service for getting about and social connection.
Funding, support, and sustainability
The Harpenden Hopper is funded through a mix of grants, donations, fare income, and sponsorship by local businesses. Harpenden Connect recently received a grant from Harpenden Building Society. As running a minibus service is expensive, the financial support from the Society has helped cover the cost of the insurance.
The Hopper team is exploring greener options for the future, including electric minibuses, to reduce the service’s environmental footprint.
How to get involved
The Harpenden Hopper thrives thanks to its volunteers and the support of local residents. Passengers are encouraged to provide feedback, and advocate for the service, ensuring the Hopper remains responsive to community needs.
Conclusion
The Harpenden Hopper is more than just a minibus. It’s a symbol of civic pride, ingenuity, and compassion - a reminder that when a community works together, remarkable things can happen.
So next time you see the cheerful Hopper rounding the corner, give a wave. It’s not just a bus - it’s the spirit of Harpenden, moving forward, one journey at a time.
For those interested, information on timetables, routes, and volunteering opportunities are available on the Hopper’s website
Grant £3,000
We are South Side Studios, a community interest company founded and run by local creative director Fiona Garden. We activate vacant and underused buildings in the centre of Leighton Buzzard, transforming them into accessible, affordable spaces for artists, micro-businesses, and community groups. By supporting creative enterprise and community-led activity, we aim to revitalise the town centre through place-making, collaboration and visibility for local talent.
The grant supplied by Harpenden Building Society has directly enabled us to unlock the former Wilko building at 28 High Street, which had been vacant for over three years. The funding allowed us to approach the landlord with a concrete three-month license fee offer. That offer, made possible by Harpenden’s support, opened the long-closed doors to over 10,000 square feet of prime high street space for Culture Co:LB’s Co Lab pop-up.
In the three months since, the Co Lab space hosted a packed calendar of activity and connection: sound baths, a two-day ambient music festival, a huge LEGO event, a wellness weekend, community film screenings, a huge open call art exhibition, and a large-scale textile installation. Each day, people pop in and take a look and express how thrilled they are that this is all happening.
All of these events have been powered by community energy and self-generated income from the space itself, with no other external funding. We have also commissioned and funded a top-tier impact study of the activation - by a leading creative economies academic Dr Tarek Virani, with a mind to influencing policy locally and nationally.
The project has been a catalyst to increase town centre footfall, new partnerships across creative, enterprise, heritage, and wellbeing sectors. It’s also achieved a higher public profile for Leighton Buzzard as a town that backs its local talent. The Co Lab has also made visible the demand for accessible space and sparked new energy around what is possible for the high street.
We welcome Harpenden members to visit The Co Lab at 28 High Street during September. The three-month Co Lab programme across June, July, and August was led by Culture Co:LB, a coalition of local partners across arts, culture, heritage, health, and enterprise - with huge contributions from Leighton Buzzard Art Society, LBDHAS, and a host of other collaborators. The space will now continue under the stewardship of South Side Studios for as long as it remains available, with the ambition to build on this success.
The grant we received did not just fund a pop-up. It sparked a meaningful, communityled transformation and a model of placemaking that we hope to carry forward. Thank you for making that possible!
You can also find us online at:
culturecolb.uk
southsidestudios.uk
St Albans District
HBS Grant £4,930
Citizens Advice St Albans District (CASTAD) is a local advice charity. Local volunteers and staff give free advice and practical support that is confidential, impartial and independent to help people deal with a wide variety of problems. We provide a lot of our advice by phone - working from offices in St Albans Civic Centre in the City, and also in person from Harpenden Salvation Army, the Well Bean Café in Southdown, Wheathampstead Marford Memorial Hall and the Parish office in Redbourn. We give advice at eight foodbank venues across the district, and we are part of the national Citizens Advice network.
Overall, we have a team of 82 volunteers and 24 staff and in 2024-25 we gave advice and support to 9,473 people – which is an average of 40 people every working day. The help we gave resulted in local people being financially better off by £2,403,376.
Typically, local people come to us because they need help with life’s major challenges - bereavement, ill health, disability, job loss or redundancy, relationship breakdown and the accumulation of unmanageable debts. Information may be available online but it is often overwhelming, being too complex or contradictory and of uncertain quality and reliability. We help people disentangle the symptoms and the underlying causes of problems and provide much needed reassurance and practical next steps.
But as well as empowering people to handle problems they have now, we also want to prevent future challenges. Our team were keen to reach children stepping into adulthood who lack the skills they need to navigate their financial futures. Our advisers, former teachers, bankers, accountants, lawyers have seen time and time again, the misery of debt, scams and poor budgeting.
A group of them met to devise fun games for 10-and 11-year-olds to teach them about risk, reward, saving and borrowing, interest and earnings. The grant from Harpenden Building Society supported the costs of developing and delivering workshops, and in 2024 we reached 581 children in 8 schools.
The workshops were very popular with pupils and teachers. One teacher commented ‘The workshops were amazing, and the children learnt a lot. It was lovely to see how engaged they all were.’
Another teacher explained ‘Our Year 5 and 6 have just had a half day each on a Money Workshop provided by the Citizens Advice St Albans. I cannot recommend it highly enough - highly engaging, very useful, combining both online awareness and money matters. I am now thinking of putting a couple of moneysavvy Year 6s in charge of the budget!’.
We started a waiting list of schools who heard about the workshops and declared their interest with their Year 5 and 6 pupils. This year we are delighted that Harpenden Building Society have helped fund another series of Money Management lessons in primary schools to help equip more young people to make better money decisions and prevent them getting into debt. We have already filled all the available places which remain oversubscribed.
We offer help to everyone to save money on utilities and household outgoings. To take advantage of our Keep More Money project, call us on 01727 811118 - we offer phone appointments to help people save money on utilities.
Different types of groups
Youth Talk’s vision: Every young person can talk to someone who can help with whatever’s worrying them.
Strength in Numbers:
How Group Counselling Is Helping Young People Heal Together
At Youth Talk, we know that talking and being listened to helps - and for some young people, being supported in a group setting can be a powerful and positive experience.
That’s why we introduced our group counselling service, to offer young people a safe and supportive space to share, connect and grow - alongside others who understand what they’re going through.
Shared experiences, lasting impact
Our Counselling Groups are run each week by the same two experienced Youth Talk Counsellors, who will guide and support the group whilst helping make sense of their experiences and help to understand the group’s feelings and difficulties whilst giving meaning to these struggles.
Counselling Groups can bring hope for change and promote insight, through the sharing and discovery that you are supported and not alone with your problems. The power of a group for teenagers is that the young people attending can be incredibly helpful to each other’s recovery.
Young people are carefully matched to a group, and everything takes place in a warm, welcoming environment.
The benefits are clear. Group counselling reduces isolation, promotes connection, and offers a valuable sense of perspective. Participants learn that they are not alone and that their struggles are shared by others too.
“You
realise you’re not the only one feeling this way. At first, I felt nervous, but by the end I’d made friends and felt more confident.”
- Youth Talk group member
At Youth Talk we offer different types of groups - such as groups where art materials can be used to help express feelings with and without words, and groups that are based on talking and sharing experiences verbally together. Some groups may be focussed on a specific struggle such as anxiety, identity, sexuality or self-confidence, for example. Every group is a safe and confidential space, where you can say as much or as little as you feel able too. There are no expectations other than to come along and turn up. Lots of young people attending groups quickly understand how valued their contributions are in belonging to a group as they commit to turning up for each other each week, where they can listen and feel listened to.
“Young people often tell us they feel calmer and more connected after a counselling group. It’s a brilliant way to build trust and confidence—the art therapy group is especially helpful for those who might not be ready to talk openly and you don’t need art skills to attend this type of group.”
- Youth Talk counsellor
And for some young people, it’s the first time they’ve ever felt truly seen or heard.
Youth Talk’s Chief Executive, David Barker, says:
“Group counselling has become a vital part of our wider therapeutic offering. It can provide a powerful non-judgemental reminder to young people that they’re not alone.
Whether through conversation or creativity, it’s about building connection, confidence and hope - together.”
Looking ahead
With rising demand for mental health support, group counselling is playing an increasingly important role at Youth Talk. Thanks to support from the local community and partners like Harpenden Building Society, we’re expanding our offer so more young people can benefit from this shared, supportive experience.
Scan to donate to Youth Talk and help them to continue providing essential counselling sessions
Scan to visit the Youth Talk website
Scan to get involved with Youth Talk
You can also follow @YouthTalkSA on social media.
Volunteering Watling View School Sunnyside Rural Trust Volunteering
For the third year running, eleven colleagues from across the Society visited Watling View School in St Albans for a day this summer to help give their facilities a spruce up ahead of the new term in September.
Watling View is a special school catering for over 100 pupils aged 2-19 with a wide range of complex and profound learning difficulties. Their focus is helping students develop individual social lives, independence and communication skills, ensuring they’re prepared for tackling in the wider world. Even during our short visits while the hallways are empty, we can see what a wide range of support is provided by their staff to their pupils, with specialist resources including a hydrotherapy pool, sensory and dark rooms, soft play facilities and a studio flat where older pupils can practice key life skills.
In time-honoured fashion, most of us set about giving a few classrooms and corridors a fresh lick of paint (trying hard to get more paint on the walls than ourselves!). Elsewhere a team gave the Watling School café a refresh both inside and out; the café is one of many examples of how Watling View provides a safe environment for its pupils to develop practical skills which they can bring forward into adulthood.
As always, Mark and the rest of the Watling View Facilities team were excellent hosts, providing our painting tools making sure we didn’t get too lost around the school! Watling View’s guiding vision is to support their pupils to “Be kind, Be responsible, Be the Best You Can", and we were delighted to lend a small hand in helping them to achieve this goal.
When work was finished, the team decamped to the local pub for a muchdeserved refreshment. We look forward to continuing our tradition and visiting Watling View once again next year!
About Sunnyside Rural Trust
Sunnyside Rural Trust was founded in 1990 as a small, horticultural project for young people and adults with learning disabilities. It is now a thriving charity and social enterprise, offering training and work experience for over 170 vulnerable people in the local community.
Sunnyside train people with learning disabilities to acquire skills in a number of rural and retail activities. These include beekeeping, looking after chickens, growing a wide range of plants and produce, landscaping, garden maintenance and working in on-site cafés and farm shops.
On June 3rd, four of our colleagues volunteered at Sunnyside Rural Trust in Hemel Hempstead.
Our team were given the task of clearing and tidying polytunnel 5 alongside trainees on-site for the day. Jobs included sorting out plant pots into sizes and discarding any broken pots not fit for use. We also sorted plastic plant trays into piles and helped the general organising of the polytunnel. Luckily, the British weather played its part which meant it wasn’t too hot working in the tunnel.
This was our fourth year in a row where we have spent a day volunteering at Sunnyside. The team had a great time, and as usual a very rewarding day was had helping out such a fantastic project. If any of our members get a chance, we definitely recommend a visit.
Hemel Food Garden (HFG) is one of four Sunnyside sites. Here the team grow produce such as fruit, vegetables and salads. They also engage in poultry and beekeeping, PAT testing, gardening design and maintenance, allotment makeovers, and growing and selling a wide range of plants.
Their training and work experience takes place across Dacorum in Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Northchurch in a range of tranquil settings. In total, Sunnyside employs 36 staff and has 37 volunteers.
On site, HFG have a farm shop (open Monday to Saturday 10am until 3pm) where Sunnyside produce is sold (fresh eggs, honey, jam and vegetables). It champions local food and promotes local organic and fair-trade food. They also have a range of zero waste and plastic free products.
Adjacent to the farm shop is the Sunnyside Up café. The café has a relaxing atmosphere and is situated in a sunny spot, making the seating area in the garden a popular destination for passers-by along the canal. The café provides trainees the opportunity to learn all the skills required to run a café, such as customer service, handling money, barista, cooking and stock control.
Hemel Food Garden
Colleague stories MY RUNNING STORY
Ali Pennefather
For as long as I can remember, I have loved being active. I was always on the go as a child, taking part in athletics, hockey, netball, gymnastics and dancing at school and then spending my weekends walking the dogs, cycling and riding my horses. School holidays were spent camping in the Alps, climbing mountains, swimming in lakes, sailing around the Scottish islands and walking up Wainwrights.
After university, I got my first full-time job at a building society, and to help me to get on the property ladder, I also worked two other part-time evening jobs for a few years. It was during this time that I learnt to make the most of my free time, regularly having an active holiday planned in the diary to keep me motivated.
In my early twenties, I started competing in British Eventing with my horses, which is a combination of Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country. This meant committing to getting up early every morning and training before work. I have some great memories of this time and there’s nothing more invigorating than an early morning ride in the middle of winter.
Once I hit my thirties and became a mum of two, I quickly realised that my priorities had changed, and I could no longer commit to British Eventing. At this point, running became more important to me, not just to keep fit, but to clear my mind, escape from my worries and have some much needed ‘me time’. I found I was much more able to deal with toddler tantrums after I’d had some time out.
And then early in 2020, when the pandemic hit, I found myself working from home whilst looking after my two young children and trying to homeschool. As well as this, we were living in a caravan and renovating our home, which was very testing. When I needed a break, those daily runs and walks kept me going both mentally and physically. Although the pandemic was a difficult and upsetting time, we made some amazing family memories despite the circumstances. Picnics in the garden, flying kites, growing our own veg, trampolining all day, daily walks, learning to read and write, the list is endless.
In the summer of 2020, I found out I was pregnant again with my third child and suddenly became quite ill. I stopped running altogether, despite having continued throughout my previous pregnancies. I honestly thought I would never run again, I could barely walk two miles. The medication that I was prescribed was difficult to get hold of in the pandemic, and so I really suffered. However, when my third child was born in lockdown in January 2021, I was amazed to find that all my symptoms disappeared, and I was able to start running again.
Last summer, as I was approaching my 40th birthday and a year after having my fourth child, I reflected on the last 10 years of my life. I decided it was time for me to get back out competing, not just for myself, but to be a role model for my children. But this time I would be competing on two feet, instead of four. Running from your doorstep is very convenient when you have four children. You can literally put your trainers on and go. It can be difficult to train on the fells and trails when your time is limited, so as a challenge I entered the Borrowdale trail half marathon.
In preparation, I did a couple of short training runs up my local fell and hoped for the best! Starting at the back of the race, I had no idea how I was going to do. The route began on the shores of Derwent Water leading to the hamlet of Grange and then climbing up alongside Castle Crag and descending back down to Rosthwaite. On the second climb leading to the beautiful Watendlath valley, I was surprised to find myself passing quite a lot of runners and ended up finishing 3rd female.
Spurred on by this result, I then entered the 25km Maverick Lakes Osprey race in September, which was graded a 5 in difficulty (the hardest) with over 3,500ft of elevation. The route started in Grasmere climbing to Easdale Tarn and Stickle Tarn. The weather was awful. It rained all day, and the trails were like a river. At one point I was scrambling up a waterfall. Visibility on the top was poor, and it was at this point that I lost my way and went off course. Luckily another runner spotted me, and he whistled to get my attention. After chatting and running together for a few miles, we decided to stick together for the rest of the race, and I finished 5th female.
In March I then had the pleasure of running in the Morland Ultra Marathon, which was 30 miles and 3,000ft of climbing. After losing my way in the last race, I decided I needed some practice navigating and chose this one as it was a self-navigating challenge.
The weather started out cold but turned out to be a glorious day with blue sky and sunshine. It was stunning. Navigation was tricky in places, particularly in the last 10 miles when there was no-one in sight and I was running through endless rolling fields. However, I made it to the finish with no disasters finishing 2nd female.
Following on from this, I ran the Howgills Marathon in April. It was a tough 26 miles and 4,400ft, climbing up Winder, Arant Haw, Calders and The Calf. I was aiming for under 5 hours but somehow managed to knock off over half an hour and finished 2nd female again.
Then in May, I entered the Keswick Mountain Festival 50km ultra. The route was just over 32 miles and 5,600ft of climbing. This was my toughest race so far. The views were stunning, the weather was scorching, and the trails were highly technical. After climbing Honister Pass and then descending to Buttermere, I met another running mum, and we ran the last 20 miles together. We kept each other going chatting non-stop and those miles went by so much quicker together. We crossed the finished line in just over 6 hours and joint 3rd female.
Six weeks later I was back racing at the Northumbrian 50km at Kielder. This one felt much easier, the trails were mainly forestry tracks, and the hills were much gentler with around 3,000ft of elevation gain. However, the weather was scorching, and I struggled in the last couple of miles but still managed to finish 2nd female, 4th overall.
The great thing about running is that it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, you can just put your trainers on and run straight from your door. You don’t need to be a member of a gym or have expensive clothing to do it. There are free events across the country such as weekly 5km Park runs, which I often go to with my two eldest children, and there are lots of free running clubs that meet for weekly social runs. There are also charities to help people who want to participate in ultrarunning such as ‘into ultra’, who provide advice to help people overcome barriers such as confidence issues, lack of navigation skills, and affordability. I would recommend running to anyone who wants to keep fit, have fun and make some more friends.
Now it’s the summer holidays, I’m having a little break from running and enjoying having some time off with my children, although they do keep me very active! I’m hoping to do a couple more ultras before the end of the year, and have my sights set on The Lap, Kendal Skyline Ultra, and the Lakeland 50 in the future.
Ali Pennefather Business Acceptance Tester Ali
Colleague stories
My time at 3rd Linslade Brownies
I began my time helping in Girl Guiding in 2008, starting at Rainbows when my daughters attended and then moving onto Brownies when they moved up.
I started as an occasional helper but that soon turned into helping each week and eventually becoming the treasurer as well in 2012.
When a girl joins Brownies after a few weeks they get enrolled and make the Brownie Promise which is ‘I promise that I will do my best, to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the King and my community, to help other people and to keep the (Brownie) Guide law.’ They are given a badge book when they enrol and can work at home to earn as many badges as they want to, which they can sew onto their uniform, while we will also use the meetings to work towards badges, which are given out at the end of term.
We always plan different activities with the girls each term and make it as fun as possible. We recently had ‘Cookie’, the support dog in to visit the girls, along with his trainer to explain to the girls how they train him and what he will do when he is placed with somebody. He received a lot of attention from the girls who loved having him visit.
Over the last couple of terms, we have been learning first aid and visited the local fire station twice to also learn about fire and water safety.
We also have craft sessions to make things for Mother’s Day & Father’s Day and in the Spring, we planted some seeds, and the brownies had to look after them and keep a plant diary to earn the ‘grow your own’ badge. We always try and plan something fun for the end of term and at Christmas, one year we took the girls to the snow zone in Milton Keynes to enjoy a couple of hours messing around on the slopes.
My favourite thing about helping at Brownies is watching the young girls flourish, they arrive feeling shy, but over time make lots of new friends, have fun and really come into their own.
Colleague stories
Although it was way out of my comfort zone, that particular role appealed to me as I’m really interested in people, my husband always says I like to ask a lot of questions, but hopefully I’m a good listener too.
Befriending
Although I had previously thought of volunteering as ‘something I might like to do in the future’, I had not really given it any serious consideration before the summer of 2022.
During the Covid-19 pandemic I became acutely aware of what a difference volunteers can make to society. Almost overnight so many people had to become totally reliant upon the kindness of others just to survive, let alone thrive. I was so impressed when I turned up to my first inoculation to see the sheer number of amazing volunteers involved in the whole process, helping guide huge numbers of people to the right areas, reassuring them and making sure no-one was missed off the list.
Isabel Hare Branch Manager – Harpenden & Leighton Buzzard Branch
I knew that Harpenden Building Society actively support colleagues who wish to do voluntary work, and all colleagues are generously given two paid days per year in which to do this. When I saw that the Harpenden Trust were advertising for volunteers for a variety of roles in the summer of 2022, it really piqued my interest. I arranged to meet up with their People Director for a coffee and chat and I decided straight away to apply for the role of a befriender.
After submitting an application form, supplying a couple of references and passing a DB check, I was accepted. I was matched up with a potentially ‘suitable’ client and made arrangements to meet them the following week. At our first meeting, we were joined by another experienced member of the Trust who introduced us and explained how the process worked. I admit I was really apprehensive on the first occasion as I had no idea whether we would get on at all or find any common ground. However, any uncertainty I had was quickly put aside and volunteering as a befriender is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I actively look forward to meeting up each week with my befriendee to have a coffee and catch up, and there is always much to catch up on. I have learned so much from my friend, who has lived an incredibly interesting life with many varied hobbies and stories to tell. Our conversations are wide ranging, enjoyable, informative and fun and we would never have met if it hadn’t been for the Harpenden Trust.
Social isolation and loneliness amongst the elderly isn’t going away. This has a huge impact on physical and mental health.
I would highly recommend trying volunteering in some capacity to anyone who might be considering it. It doesn’t matter whether you have one spare hour each week, a day a month or as a one-off event, know that you will be making a difference, however small. You may well find it truly rewarding too.
Kerry Wybrow PA to CEO Kerry
Colleague stories
Sir John Lawes Interview
Skills Day
On Monday 7th July, I visited my old secondary school, Sir John Lawes in Harpenden, to volunteer for their interview skills day for all students in year 12. The purpose of the day was for students to develop their interview skills, strengthen their confidence and to network with industry professionals who were acting as interviewers for the day.
Two weeks beforehand, students had to submit their CV and cover letter for a fictitious Trainee Team Leader role at M&S. This being the job they would be interviewing for on the day. As an interviewer, I was given these documents to review so I could make notes in preparation for the interviews and for the feedback session to follow.
On a glorious Monday morning, it felt a bit surreal doing the same walk to school I did for seven years. It is fair to say it brought back many happy memories. Once signed in, I was guided to the sixth form centre (it has barely changed since I was there) where I got to meet other interviewers and some of my old teachers too. Sixth Form Personal Development and Careers Lead at the school Mr Gilfeather gave us a quick run-through about how the day would run and how the students had prepared.
After a short while, we were shown into the sports hall where we each had a dedicated table to interview the students. Once we were settled, students were then allowed into the hall and were advised to sit by their group number which had been assigned to them. Each interviewer had a group of 6. Just before we got going, one of the teachers gave a small speech reminding the students of the importance of body language, eye contact and confidence.
After this, we then got to start the interviews. Questions were already provided to us by the school, however we were encouraged to throw in some of our own to try and challenge the students and to make the interview seem as real as possible. My group were an absolute pleasure to interview and all did incredibly well. All were different in their own way, some confident, some nervous, which was completely understandable given how for many it was their first ever interview.
Time flew by and before long, the interviews had finished. The next part of the day was a networking session where students were given time to walk round and chat to the interviewers. This was an exercise designed for students to ask us questions or advice surrounding our career or about the industry we work in. As someone in marketing, it was great to have students come up to me and say they were thinking about pursuing a career in a similar field. They really took an interest and asked a lot of questions which was fantastic.
To round off the day, we were then put back into our original groups. We had time to sit with each student we interviewed and provide feedback on how their interview went, their CV and their cover letter. To finish, each interviewer had to award the student in their group who they felt deserved to get the Trainee Team Leader role.
It was a brilliant day which I thoroughly enjoyed. All the students I had interactions with were really engaging, and in return I could sense they were taking every bit of advice on board too. I fully look forward to volunteering again next year and helping the next generation on their journey.
Elliot Ashby
Marketing Executive
View more about the day with this video from Sir John Lawes
The Lea Primary School Colour Fun Run
On a glorious Friday afternoon in mid-May, I attended the Lea Primary School colour run. This was an event where the Society provided a £400 sponsorship; so, when the school reached out and asked for a volunteer, I was more than happy to help. It was the school’s first ever colour run, and they couldn’t have picked a better day for it to take place.
Upon my arrival I could instantly see how excited the kids were. With music blaring and the sun shining, each year group took turns to do a mini warm up before then completing two laps of the school field. There were various colour and water stations en route where volunteers were ready to cover the kids with colourful paint and water. I’m not sure who enjoyed this part more, the volunteers or the children.
My job for the afternoon was to be at the start finish line to firstly throw paint over the children as they did their first lap and then hand out medals for when they finished their second. Thankfully all wore goggles as some were absolutely covered head to toe in paint by the end. In total, over 130 children took part, so I was kept busy handing out the medals.
After the children, the parents in attendance were then offered the chance to run two laps of the field whilst getting targeted by paint. As you may have guessed, many jumped at the chance. Although the event was for the children, I think the parents loved taking part just as much, and yes, they also got a medal too.
The event was a huge success, and it was great to see so many children and parents enjoying themselves. Thanks to contributions like ours, the event managed to raise over £1,600 from the Colour Run alone which was incredible. This will go a long way towards much-needed school projects, including the resurfacing of the KS1 Playground.
Elliot Ashby Marketing Executive
Colleague stories
St Albans and Harpenden
Careers Fair
Along with over 40 local companies, the Society was delighted to be invited to join the St Albans and Harpenden Careers Fair on Monday 30th June. On a glorious sunny day, colleagues from several departments across the Society volunteered their time to attend the careers fair at the historic Rothamsted Research Conference Centre in Harpenden. The event brought together students from local secondary schools, Special Educational Need schools and colleges with employers and training providers.
Joining the opening ceremony, Daisy Cooper MP, Councillor Paul de Kort (Leader of St Albans City & District Council) and Victoria Collins MP, all spoke about the growth of career opportunities across the region and the importance of inspiring the next generation of workforce.
The tropical temperatures did not deter the attendees and throughout the day over 700 students from 14 different schools from Harpenden and the surrounding area attended the fair. Later in the day, an additional twilight session was held for students to attend with parents and carers.
The event provided a valuable platform for local school children to connect with local employers and understand the different pathways available for potential career paths. We enjoyed a day of enlightening conversations with engaged students, sharing information about the variety of roles, skills and knowledge that we have across the Society. The careers fair was a rewarding event where we connected with the local community and hopefully helped inspire young people on future career pathways.
‘MY MONEY WEEK’
On Thursday 19th June, our Tring branch welcomed two groups of children from Goldfield Infants’ School to take part in ‘My Money Week’. This week is an initiative run by the school each year and aims to provide children with an initial basic understanding of money.
Local businesses such as ourselves are asked if they would participate by allowing two groups of up to five children to visit their premises and give a brief overview of what their business is all about.
Our Branch Associate Vanessa, put together a plan of action for the visits which included:
• Why people save?
• What a building society is?
• How does a building society work?
• How, why and when, were building societies created?
• More information about our heritage
• How savings grow with interest?
• What involvement we have within the community?
• What charity fundraising we do?
We created a wall with different things that children, teenagers and adults save for i.e. holidays, weddings, toys, hobbies or university to name a few examples..
The children brought with them a list of prepared questions for us to answer which included:
• What are Harpenden’s unique selling points?
• Do we have a website?
• How many branches we have and how many staff?
We also did some money counting exercises with coins and piggy banks. Imitation bank notes were also used to show the concept of what £1,000 looks like in a different denomination of notes.
At the end of the visit the children were given a Harpenden gym bag, containing a water bottle, notepad and pen, which they loved. As always, a great day was had by us and the children.
Elizabeth Weatherhogg Senior Operations Manager for Mortgages
The children took part in some role play with another one of our Branch Associates George, this included depositing and withdrawing money.
Gill Pearce Branch Manager – Tring and Radlett
Hear
about some
of our career journeys…
It can be difficult to know what you want to do career-wise when you are young, I was the same at 16/17. However, I did find that I really enjoyed looking at brands and how they communicated their services or products through different channels. Therefore, this led me to explore what a career in marketing could entail. After finishing my A levels which included Business Studies, I went to the University of East Anglia to complete a degree in Marketing and Management, which I really enjoyed. Delving into different aspects of marketing made me realise this is what I want to pursue my career in.
Marketing is very broad with many different specialist areas (a few examples include market research, email marketing, content marketing, social media marketing). Coming out of university I wasn’t sure exactly what area I wanted to be in; I just wanted some experience. After working in a customer relations job for a short time over COVID, I then moved to Harpenden Building Society as a Marketing Assistant. After three years of developing myself and learning the different elements of marketing within the Society, I am now a Marketing Executive. As a small team, no two days are the same, which makes it exciting and challenging. We work with all different departments, which is something I love. Skills to be successful in marketing can vary depending on exactly what area you want to go into; however, the fundamentals include creativity, communication, adaptability, analytical skills, time management and hard work.
I manage the Business-to-Business relationships with our broker partners in order to drive new mortgage business into the society. As a BDM, I complete the initial review of all new business cases including a high-level vetting of the income, affordability and property security. I will also liaise with our head of underwriting and credit committee on exceptional cases that push the boundaries of our lending policy but where I feel sufficient merit is present to go outside our usual parameters. I am then the broker’s key point of contact throughout the application and post-completion journey should they need any support.
My very first job at 16 was working Saturdays as a teller in my local building society branch. At 17, I accepted an apprenticeship with Lloyds Banking Group and worked my way up to Banking Consultant in my 3 and a half years with them. I was keen to get into the world of mortgages, but no opportunities were available with Lloyds Banking Group at the time, so I instead landed a job back at the building society on their intermediary helpdesk team. Two and a half years there saw me go from a Business Development Rep to Team Leader which opened up lots more avenues for me to explore. It was then that I found out Harpenden Building Society were searching for a new Telephone Business Development Manager, which was a role that would enable me to work more closely with brokers on a strategic level. I applied, kept my cool through a 3-stage interview process ending with a CEO introduction, and was offered the job. I’ve been here 2 and a half years now and was promoted to Business Development Manager nearly 12 months ago, a change that allows me to get out and about on the road and meet with our key contacts face to face.
My role is to ensure that the Society has processes and procedures in place to ensure we’re complying with the relevant regulations and that we’re aware of any new pieces of regulation coming our way. For example, if the Society launches a new product, the compliance team will complete a review to make sure it meets our regulatory requirements and that the terms and conditions are clear and fair for the customer. I also work with the wider business to make sure they are aware of any new regulation coming our way and help them understand it and take action to ensure we comply with it.
The other aspect of my role is Money Laundering Reporting Officer for the Society. If we spot anything unusual or suspicious, we look into it a bit further to prevent criminal money being paid into our organisation and prevent customers from being defrauded.
Financial Services is a heavily regulated industry which makes my role varied as it means I work with nearly all of the different areas of the Society. I have worked in Financial Services for 20 years, and within Compliance & Financial Crime for 15 years. The path I have taken with my career is work experience, as well as completing industry recognised qualifications. To surmise, I help keep the Society out of trouble!
Lauren
Lauren Birmingham, Head of Compliance & Money Laundering Reporting Officer
I have oversight and management of Customer Operations team. This includes 1-2-1s and Performance reviews, quality assurance checking, sign off releases of mortgage advances, litigation and arrears –all mortgage related!
I started in financial services in 2010 as a cashier at a high street bank and worked through ranks to become an Operations Specialist (responsible for maintaining the cashier team, ATMs and other regulatory requirements). Then I progressed and started as a mortgage administrator in 2015 for a specialist mortgage lender, from there I became a Senior Administrator, Team leader and then a Team Manager.
Scott
Scott Daish, Post Completion Manager, Mortgage Operations
Chelsea Pordage, Business Development Manager
My role involves making sure we have enough money to offer mortgages to our customers and pay our bills. We invest our excess money smartly and I manage risks like changes in interest rates and make sure these changes do not affect us adversely.
At school, I studied maths and science at A levels and Engineering at University. I then obtained an accountancy qualification at a large accountancy firm before entering the banking and Building Society world. I think the key skills that I need for this role is numeracy and analytical - although communicating well is also very important.
King
King Wan, Head of Treasury
I lead the Savings Team, including four branches and our Head Office Member Services Team. I make sure we deliver excellent customer service and meet our service level agreements. I support and manage the branch managers and regularly meet with them carrying out one-to-ones and reviewing performance.
I started in financial services in 2008 as a cashier at Barclays Bank, progressing to Assistant Branch Manager. In 2013, I joined Harpenden Building Society as the Tring Branch Manager. Since then, I've taken on several roles, including leading the Member Services Team, working in the Secretariat Team (attending committee meetings and taking minutes) and serving as Data Protection Officer in the Risk & Compliance Team. I now lead the Savings Operations team.
Emma Sinclair, Senior Savings Operations Manager
Elliot Ashby, Marketing Executive
Driven by the Building Societies Association, UK Savings Week aims to get people engaged with saving. Whether they are already savers; have no savings but could save a little; or are unable to save right now but may be able to when times improve –all circumstances can be supported.
Steps to positive savings attitudes
Whether it’s taking the first small steps or looking to build towards a savings goal, we’re all about getting you thinking about savings and encouraging better saving habits.
Raising awareness
Our aim is to raise awareness of the benefits of saving and help everyone save if they can – no matter who you are, your circumstances, or how big your ambitions are.
Financial
resilience
There are around 14 million people in the UK who have less than £100 of savings to fall back on in an emergency. We want to help you have the security of knowing you can deal with the unexpected.
And if you already have a pot of savings, we want to support you in building it up so you can realise your dreams sooner.
Being the focal point
UK Savings Week will get people talking about savings, amplifying the efforts of all organisations, charities and groups who want to see greater financial resilience in households across the country.
22nd 28th September 2025
Around 14 MILLION people in the UK have less than £100 of savings to fall back on in an emergency
Let's start thinking about saving
Want to save but don’t know where to start? Savings Week hints and tips will guide you on how to start your savings journey.
Take a little time to think about your finances. The first step to saving success is to decide you’re ready to take control and become a saver...
Look at your money
Think about what money you have coming in and what you spend. Knowing how much you have to live off each week or month will help you understand what you might be able to save.
Need vs want
Decide what you really need, and what things are ‘nice to haves’. Think about which things really make you happy and which things you only buy out of habit. Do you really need them? Or are they extras you could live without?
Stay calm
Thinking about money can be stressful but try not to feel anxious. These are the first steps to taking control of your finances. If you’re really worried about money visit the support section of the UK Savings Week website.
Set your money goals
Having targets to aim for means you’re more likely to achieve what you want to do.
Be real
Make your targets achievable and specific, not general. For example, instead of ‘save for my future’ say ‘save £3,000 to buy a car by the end of next year’.
Stay focussed
Put a visual reminder somewhere – like your dream house as your phone wallpaper, or a picture stuck on your fridge door. Track your progress, and feel proud about reaching milestones (maybe your first £100 for example).
Be consistent
Make it regular, so you set a pattern of saving. Once it becomes a habit, it’s much easier to keep up. There’s some great apps and digital tools out there to help with a ‘little and often’ approach to saving.
Stay balanced
Everyone deserves a treat now and again, so don’t deny yourself all the time. You need to find your own balance that allows you to make progress in saving without having to sacrifice all your luxury spending.
Cut some slack
We know things happen or temptation gets the better of us from time to time. Don’t beat yourself up if this happens, just remind yourself of your goal and get back to saving next time.
Small rewards
Give yourself a pat on the back for reaching milestones along the way to your savings goal. This could just be a moment to reflect on your achievement, or a sweet treat to say ‘Well done!’.
Get in control
Accept there will be temptations, and plan in advance for how you’re going to deal with them.
Temptations
If there are places or occasions where you know temptation will grow, try to avoid going there too much, if you can. Go into situations ready to recognise when you’re being tempted to spend!
If…then
Commit to having an ‘If…then’ conversation with yourself to think through spending decisions. For example, ‘If I see a top I really want on a shopping app, then I’ll picture three similar items of clothing I already own and weigh up if I really need it’.
Structure your spending
Look at ways to help you budget. There are loads of apps out there to help and using pre-paid cards or savings pots to split up your money could help you structure your spending.
Money Helper: Free and impartial money and pension guidance
National Debt Line:
Giving you free independent debt advice
These ideas could help you speed up your savings:
The no-spend challenge
Avoid buying anything you don’t need (takeaways, clothes, days out etc.). Instead, only pay for things that are necessities (bills, food etc.). It isn’t one to keep up for long, but it’s a good way to prepare for any unavoidably expensive weeks or months in the future.
Step it up
Save £10 in the first month, £20 in the second, and so on until you save £120 in month 12. At the end of the year you will have £780, plus any interest you have earned.
Change skimming
Many banking apps can help you skim your payments by rounding up your transactions. For example, if you spend £2.75, then £3 is debited from your account with 25p being added to your savings account.
Step Change:
Expert debt advice and fee-free debt management
Citizens Advice: Assisting people with legal, debt, consumer housing and more
Impartial advice that’s helps prevent email, phone based and online fraud
Helping people to save is core to building societies and credit unions, that is why the Building Societies Association (BSA) is proud to be the driving force behind UK Savings Week. But UK Savings Week is broader still, as developing the financial resilience and confidence of people across the UK benefits everybody. The Building Societies Association, the trade body of UK building societies and seven large credit unions, launched UK Savings Week in 2022.
Jon’s Savings Blog
Dad, I need to borrow £300
Why?
I’ve flooded the engine
That shouldn’t cost £300 where is the car?
… in the River Avon
This was an actual (albeit slightly redacted and paraphrased) conversation in my household about a quarter of a century ago… But that is about as far as conversations about finances went for another two decades.
Money. It’s not going away, and it’s one of the most essential parts of our lives, and yet, for many, it’s still one of the hardest things to talk about. Whether it’s how much we earn, how much we save, or how we manage debt, money conversations are often avoided due to discomfort, fear of judgment, or simply not knowing where to start.
But here’s the truth: talking about money is powerful. And when we open up about it, especially when it comes to saving, we unlock opportunities for growth, learning, and financial well-being.
I did some research for this blog, and was disappointed, yet oddly not surprised on some of the key facts and figures regarding this subject:
• Despite living in a world of digital banking, investing apps, and financial influencers, only 33% of adults globally are considered financially literate. That means over 3.5 billion people lack the basic knowledge to make informed financial decisions.
• A 2024 Intuit survey found that 55% of women wish they understood more about their finances but don’t know where to start.
• Generation Z (ages 18–24) has the lowest financial literacy rates, with only 36–42% considered financially literate.
Within my 20 years of working within the industry, it seems the only two constants have been A) change and B) increased complexity.
The good thing is that there are more tools to help you navigate the minefield that is personal finances, however in my humble opinion, nothing beats a good old natter with someone!
So why is talking about money matters important?
It breaks the ‘taboo’
Money has long been a taboo topic, especially in families, friendships, and even romantic relationships. But silence can lead to misinformation, poor decisions, and financial stress. Open conversations help normalise financial literacy and empower people to ask questions and seek help.
It encourages better habits
When we talk about savings goals - whether it’s building an emergency fund, saving for a home, or planning for retirement - we’re more likely to stay accountable. Sharing goals with others can motivate us to stick to a budget, avoid unnecessary spending, and celebrate progress.
It promotes financial literacy
Many people were never taught how to manage money. By talking about savings strategies, budgeting tools, or investment options, we create a culture of learning. These conversations can be especially impactful for younger generations who are just starting their financial journeys.
It strengthens relationships
Money is one of the top causes of stress in relationships. Being transparent about finances, income, debt and savings can build trust and help couples or families make informed decisions together. It also reduces the risk of financial surprises down the road.
It helps close the wealth gap
Open dialogue about money can shine a light on systemic inequalities and help people advocate for fair wages, access to financial services, and better financial education. Knowledge is power, and sharing it can lead to more equitable outcomes.
How to start the conversation
With friends:
“Have you tried any budgeting apps that actually work?”
With family:
“What’s one thing you wish you knew about money when you were younger?”
With a partner:
“Can we set a savings goal together for the next 6 months?”
With yourself:
“What are my financial priorities right now?”
Talking about money doesn’t have to be awkward or intimidating. In fact, the more we talk about it, the more confident and informed we become. Whether you’re just starting to save or you’re well on your way to financial independence, remember: you don’t have to do it alone.
Let’s normalise money conversations, because financial health is just as important as physical and mental health.
As for my dear first car, a new distributor cap and some spark plugs resulted in the car being none the worse for its unaccustomed dip in the river… albeit with a new aroma which could only be described as ‘pungent’.
Jon Sweeting Product Manager (Savings)
Harpenden Online
Harpenden Online is a simple and safe way to manage your account(s) online, wherever you are. Register for Harpenden Online to enjoy the convenience of:
Account opening and access to our online savings products
24/7 access to view your accounts on any device
Request payments to your nominated account
Check your interest rates and account information
Update your personal contact information
Opt in to receive our marketing email communication
Securely communicate with our Member Services Team
Our savings products available to open within Harpenden Online are subject to availability and change.
From around ourBranches
Tring
In all our branches our current endeavour to raise funds for our nominated charity of the year Keech Hospice is encouraging branch visitors to guess the number of sweets in the jar. This is also to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of building societies. The closest answer will win a £50 One for All Voucher plus the jar of sweets. Please visit any of our branches to participate. Good luck to all those who enter.
We sponsored the Tring Summer Carnival Day which was held on Saturday 12th July. Despite the scorching heat it was a wellattended event. Over 70 stalls, classic cars and various other displays by local performers were on offer. As you can imagine there was an endless queue for the ice cream van.
Radlett
We were delighted to welcome Lorraine as our new Branch Associate who joined us on 28th April. Lorraine is full time and has settled well in the Radlett branch and the wider Savings Operations Team. I am sure that those who have not met her already will receive a warm welcome when you visit the branch.
We have had numerous clubs displaying their events in our front window so far this year. This is something that we offer to our local community at no cost, so we get booked up fairly quickly. If you are interested in advertising a local event, please pop into the branch and we will be able to check the diary for you. A maximum of two weeks can be booked at any one time.
Tring branch - current opening hours as of September 8th 2025
Monday 10am - 3:30pm
Tuesday .............. 10am - 3:30pm
Wednesday ...................... Closed
Thursday 10am - 3:30pm
Friday .................. 10am - 3:30pm
Saturday........................... Closed
Branch details:
38 High Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 5AA
T 01442 824722
E enquiries@harpendenbs.co.uk
From both our Tring and Radlett branches, we hope our branch members had a wonderful summer break. We look forward to hearing all your holiday stories when you next pop into one of our branches.
Radlett branch - current opening hours as of September 8th 2025
Doorstep scams occur when someone comes to your front door to either scam you out of your money, personal information or even to gain access to your home to steal valuable items.
Scammers conducting this type of fraud can take many different forms including door-to-door sales, traders, charity collectors, utility officials or even a stranger in need of help. These scams can be challenging for victims to avoid as there is an added pressure when dealing with someone face-to-face.
Here we explore the various types of doorstep scams and explain how you or a loved one can stay protected.
2.8 MILLION
COMMON FORMS OF DOORSTEP SCAMS
Bogus tradespeople
From roofers, gardeners and plumbers, rogue traders can take various appearances. This scam occurs when fake tradespeople turn up at your front door and pretend to notice issues with your home. Often, they will offer to repair it within a very short amount of time and at a lower cost than usual.
If you agree for them to complete the work, they will usually ask for upfront payment. After receiving payment, the scammer will usually disappear without completing the work and without trace.
Door-to-door sales
Another common type of doorstep scam involves fraudsters turning up at your door wanting to sell a product or a service. Often these sellers will be pushy and mention they have significant discounts, or a limited time offer available. A forceful style can often be an indicative sign of a scammer.
Door-to-door sales are not illegal, but the seller must comply with consumer protection laws. If selling goods, a Pedlar’s Certificate may be required.***
Fake police or bank staff
Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door claiming to be from the police or from your bank. These individuals will ask for personal bank details like your PIN number or to see your bank cards, which legitimate police or bank workers would never ask for.
Utilities ‘officials’
This type of doorstep scam involves individuals impersonating someone from your gas or electricity provider but without official proof of ID. After they have gained your trust, they will enter your property and pretend to take a reading.
Once inside, they may steal valuable items or proceed to gather personal information that can be used to commit further fraud.
Your gas or electricity provider should contact you prior to a visit and their workers will always provide official ID.
Fake charity workers
Playing on emotions is an approach used by scammers to get you to part with your money, especially from those who are pretending to be from a charity. Here, fraudsters will sell an emotive story and persuade you, sometimes intensely, to donate on the spot.
Ensure those who say they are working on behalf of a charity can provide a registered charity number. If you would like to donate, you can always mention you would rather donate online instead.
Strangers in need
Some scammers pose as strangers in desperate need of help. Fake emergencies are crafted, and the individual may ask to enter your home to use your phone to call a family member, friend, a breakdown company or even to use your bathroom. Victims often feel sympathetic and will offer to help where they can. However, fraudsters can take advantage of those who are good natured and once in a property will look to steal valuable items.
COMMON TACTICS USED BY DOORSTEP SCAMMERS
Pressure tactics
Individuals will insist you make a decision on the spot. This may be to purchase a service, donate or to provide personal information.
Mention of neighbours
Often scammers will mention they are doing work for your neighbours or have spoken to them to try and gain your trust.
Too good to be true
offers
Services or products may be offered to you at a very low price which you feel is too good to turn down.
Mysterious issues
Rogue traders will pretend there are issues with your home (for example with your roof) that requires urgent attention.
Professional appearance
Often individuals will wear clothing to replicate uniforms, carry fake IDs, or use official-looking paperwork to convince you they are genuine.
Emotional appeals
This particularly applies to those who are pretending they are working on behalf of a charity. Scammers will aim to exploit your emotions, using stories or urgent need to persuade you into donating money.
Unsolicited visits
Normally fraudsters will appear at your door without any prior contact or warning. This is usually done to catch you off guard. Be wary of anyone that turns up at your door without contacting you in advance.
TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM A DOORSTEP SCAM
Don’t be afraid to say no: Never feel like you have to say yes. If you feel uncomfortable, unsure or intimidated, trust your instinct. Don’t feel embarrassed about turning someone away. Saying no to any offer, charity request, or service provider who knocks on your door is perfectly fine. Additionally, only let someone into your home if you’re expecting them or they’re a trusted friend, family member or professional.
Take your time: Don’t feel pressured into making quick decisions. Making a rushed decision may lead you to making an error of judgement. Anyone from a legitimate organisation will give you time to consider your options and won’t pressure you into providing any sensitive information or making a payment. It is also worth always getting a second opinion on anything if you are unsure.
Verify credentials: Always ask for identification - a genuine person won’t mind. Often scammers will carry fake ID so ensure you verify the company they represent by phone or by checking online. Never use contact details the person at your door gives you.
Never provide sensitive information: Some scammers may pretend to be from the police or your bank requesting information such as card details. Never disclose your PIN, bank details or give them your card. Legitimate individuals will never ask for this information via house calls.
Put up signage: Place a “no cold callers” sign clearly visible on your front door or window. This can deter those who are wanting to show up at your door unexpectedly.
Consider a smart doorbell: These allow you to speak to someone on your doorstep without opening the door. These can also be particularly useful if you have a loved one who is vulnerable and lives by themself. You can connect the camera to your own device, so you are notified whenever they have a caller.
Be sceptical: If an offer seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Research and compare prices before agreeing to any deal, especially one provided by strangers who knock at your door.
DID YOU KNOW...
Action Fraud: If you suspect you’ve been a victim of a scam, you can report it to Action Fraud either over the phone or on their website.
Citizens Advice: Contact them if you’ve been defrauded on your doorstep and they’ll pass your report onto Trading Standards
Anyone who cold calls and offers to sell you goods or services that cost more than £42 must provide you with a written notice giving you 14 days to cancel the agreement. Anyone who fails to give this notice will also be committing a criminal offence, which Trading Standards can investigate.
Click on the link to watch Michelle Ackerley discusses how people in the UK lose millions of pounds to doorstep scams yearly
A spot of phishing...
It’s been reported that 28%* of the population were hybrid workers at the end of 2024.
There are so many benefits that working from home offers for both employees and companies: more flexible hours, increased productivity, and just a better work-life balance – especially being able to sit in the sun in the garden at lunchtime! However, in looking at all these benefits, it’s also important to understand what potential cyber security issues may arise from working from home.
Also, as a business, we have taken important steps to improve the education of our colleagues regarding phishing and how it affects everyone both at home and in the office.
So… What is phishing?
‘Phishing’ is when criminals use fake emails, phone calls, texts or websites to trick their victims. Most phishing scams will attempt to trick their victims into thinking they are a legitimate company or website with underhand tactics. Usually, these fake messages will try to make you click a link, visit a website or provide personal information. Opening these links may give your computer a virus or allow the criminal to access your private information.
Phishing can come in many forms, whether they’re emails pretending to be from companies that you’re a customer of, spoof SMS messages pretending to be your bank, or even false communications from your workplace. With the rise of AI, these types of attacks are becoming more sophisticated than ever, and it’s getting harder to discern what’s real and what’s not.
We want to outline some methods that criminals use in phishing emails, as well as equip you with the knowledge of what to do if a work communication that you’ve received just doesn’t feel right.
3.4 billion phishing emails are sent a day in 2025** Remote workers are 3 times as likely to engage in a phishing email***
Understanding your inbox
Your inbox is the main channel that scammers will use to try and trick you into their scam. Below, we’ve listed some of the common phishing emails that criminals might utilise:
Spam emails
The most common (and annoying) type of unsolicited email that people receive. They are sent to large mailing lists and typically do not have anything to do with the recipient. They might be trying to sell you something or tell you that you’ve won a prize for example. While advertisement spam mail can seem harmless, any email from an unknown sender that asks you to click a link go to a website may be attempting to steal your personal data. It is always best to mark these kinds of emails as spam and then delete them.
Deceptive emails
These phishing emails have a much smaller mailing list, with the criminal pretending to be someone who is familiar to the recipient in some way, whether that be a company they are subscribed to, their bank or their place of work. A deceptive email might pretend to be from your internet provider informing you about a price increase. They might even use your location to pretend to be from a local council. As these emails are more targeted to a smaller group of people, they have a higher success rate for the criminal than spam phishing.
Spear Phishing emails
These are the most targeted types of phishing emails, and therefore the hardest to spot. They are specifically crafted for a handful of people or sometimes tailored for the individual to try and appear legitimate. Criminals may use things like your social media accounts to craft their attacks further, using names of people you know. Spear phishing emails might pretend to be your manager at work asking for your bank account details for payroll. When criminals target more senior members of a company or those who have IT access, this kind of spear phishing is called ‘whaling’.
Here's some useful points to look out for Email red flags in action !
If a suspicious-looking email has more than one of these red flags, it’s probably a phishing email.
Date and time – Was the email sent at a strange time of day, outside of usual working hours? If you weren’t expecting the email, think twice before clicking any links.
Sender name and email address – Do you recognise the email handle? Look carefully at the domain name, and make sure it matches the usual sender exactly. Be careful on letter and number substitutions, like 0’s for O’s, or l’s for I’s.
Captivating subject line – Does the subject line entice you to read further? If the subject of the email features words like NOW or HACKED, it might be trying to get you to read though the email further and a demand action.
Spelling and grammar – Are there strange wording choices, misspelled words or poor grammar in the email?
Demanding action – Does the email tell you that you need to do something quickly, or use threatening language? Phishing emails will insist that you download a file, click a link or provide information immediately in order to scam you.
Links and attachments – Is there an incorrect link when you hover the cursor over it, or an unexpected attachment in the email? These links could take you to phishing websites, and the suspicious attachment might download malware onto your device.
Too good to be true – Does what they’re offering sound too good to be true? Unfortunately, it’s unlikely someone will truly be selling expensive items for very low costs, or that you really are entitled to a large sum of money for no apparent reason. If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.
View a helpful video:
SATT Phishing Module
A guide to phishing
To: johnexample@email.com
From: Rosehill HR <r0sehill@no-reply-z.cn>
Subject: Your Payroll Account has been Hacked
Attachment: AccountInfo.pdf 11/09/25 02:48
Rosehill Firm
John, we have seen suspicious activity on you’re account.
We saw unusual activity on your payroll account last night and have suspended your account.
You must login in 24 hours and verify your account details or your account will be permanently disabled and you will not receive your payroll.
See attached document for account information and use the link below to verify your details.
Click Here to Verify
Phishing websites
Phishing websites are usually what phishing emails will be asking you to visit. These phishing websites ‘spoof’ legitimate webpages – they pretend to be a website you know and trust to trick you. Even if you are utilising an anti-virus software, these websites can give your devices malware or steal card details or login credentials. Here’s some ways that you can identify fake websites:
Suspicious domain names - In spoofing established websites, criminals will register their websites with names that are similar to well-known websites. These are usually only different by subtle spelling or letter changes. Some websites linked in emails will have nothing to do with the content of the emails. If the domain is different than the usual site, this is a red flag.
Top Level domain - These come at the end of a URL; things like ‘.com,’ ‘.co.uk’ or ‘.org.uk’. Sometimes, a phishing website will be the same as the real page, with the only different being the top-level domain. Be wary of supposed large websites and companies using the less common top-level domains such as ‘.biz’, ‘.cn’ or ‘.casa’.
http/https - At the beginning of the URLs of webpages that you are inputting sensitive information like card details or a phone number, the domain should be using ‘https’. If it is only using ‘http,’ this is a major red flag.
Website content - Official company websites will have sharp webpages, with tight writing and content. If there are low quality images and spelling mistakes on the website, it might be a scam. Fraud websites don’t often have an ‘About Us’ or ‘Contact Us’ page, so look out for those as well.
View a helpful video:
SATT Phishing Module
A guide to phishing websites
What should
you do if you’ve been sent a phishing email? ?
Ignore all attachments and links. Don’t open any attachments or links from a source that you don’t trust.
Don’t reply. Don’t reply to scam emails, even just to say ‘No,’ as then the scammers will know your email is active and will send you more emails.
Double-check before sending any details. If you get an unexpected email from your job, look up their contact information and give them a quick email or call them to check.
Stay protected. Make sure that your anti-virus software is updated on your personal devices, and make sure you understand whatever anti-virus measures are in place on your work devices. Report the email. While not engaging with the email is the correct thing to do, reporting the email is also important in helping the scammer stop.
Reporting Phishing
If you are remote working, report the email to your employers IT services. This is especially important if the email has any sort of detail from your work, as it is more than likely that the criminal will try to target other employees as well. Even if you think you’re being paranoid, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Forward any suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. As of June 2025, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) states that there have been 43 million scams reported, which has resulted in 225,000 scams being removed across 405,000 URLs.
Always report suspicious emails and sites. Whilst you might not have fallen for the scam, their next target might not be so lucky. Reporting these phishing scams not only protects you and your employer but might also help someone else too.
If you think you’ve been a victim of phishing fraud, you should report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre
Encompasses the overall physical, mental, and emotional health of individuals.
EQUITY
Equity recognises that people have different needs and circumstances and may require different levels of support to achieve the same outcome. It's about fairness and ensuring everyone has the resources they need to succeed.
DIVERSITY
The presence of differences among people in a group. It recognises and celebrates the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences that individuals bring to a community or an organisation.
INCLUSION
An environment where all individuals can be themselves and know that their contributions and ideas matter, are heard and also respected.
Our purpose
The Harpenden Building Society WEDI Group has evolved significantly over recent years, however our key purpose has always remained the same:
To promote and deliver WEDI in the workplace to create a working environment and culture where every colleague can feel safe, experience a sense of belonging, and is empowered to achieve their full potential.
This purpose doesn’t stop at our colleagues however, WEDI is also just as important when it comes to our present and future members, brokers and potential applicants. Ensuring these values are delivered allows us to cater to our members needs and preferences. This, in turn, can lead to a more positive customer experience, as our members feel seen and valued.
Background
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 provides legal protection for nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. In addition to these, our working group focusses and explores other topics and issues that we feel are just as important. These include but are not limited to, caring responsibilities, culture, invisible disability, gender identity and expression, mental health, physical health and wellbeing, neurodiversity, paternity, physical appearance, political opinion and socioeconomic circumstances.
Our aims as a group:
1. To understand the make-up of our workforce and become more diverse, in every sense of the word.
2. To ensure people feel they belong and can be the best version of themselves, without judgement or conformity.
3. To ensure people feel safe to speak up if they see or experience poor behaviour.
4. To create a more resilient workforce and improve well-being in the workplace.
2025 Activity
Our Harpenden colleagues...
53 women and 31 men with ages ranging from 19 - 66
20 different national identities
5 different ethnic identities
5 different religions
January saw the first 2025 meeting for the WEDI group. The main agenda of the meeting was to look at replies to our “interests survey” which was sent out to all colleagues in December 2024 and in turn, develop key strategies moving forward to help get the best out of the group for the benefit of all our colleagues and members.
So far this year, our WEDI group have delivered articles, presentations and ‘Let’s Learn’ sessions to colleagues for various awareness topics including:
• National Heart Month (February)
• Neurodiversity Week (17th – 23rd March 2025)
• Deaf Awareness Week (5th – 11th May 2025)
• Mental Health Awareness Week (12th – 18th May 2025)
• Pride Month (June)
• Samaritans Awareness Day (24th July 2025)
• World Humanitarian Day (19th August 2025)
As a group we also celebrate and provide colleagues with information about the significance of religious events. So far, we have recognised:
• Holi (14th March 2025)
• Passover (12th – 19th April 2025)
• Easter (18th and 20th April 2025)
• Vesak (12th May 2025)
• Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (28th February – 29th March 2025)
We are now looking forward to the rest of 2025 and to delivering even more to promote WEDI to our colleagues and our members.
Group members: Shirine Vincent Director of People and Culture
George Howard Branch Associate
Beddoe
COLLEAGUE SPOTLIGHT
Claire Myles
Payroll Manager & Financial Accountant
How did you end up working in your current role?
Whilst I was studying for my Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification back in 2011, I was advised of an excellent role that had come up at Harpenden Building Society, where I was given the opportunity to expand on my accounting knowledge and my knowledge of the financial services industry.
What do you love most about your role?
Being the Payroll Manager means that I get to liaise with many of the staff at HBS, whether that’s new starters or leavers, Head Office or the branches, so there is always plenty of variety to my day.
What are the biggest challenges that your role entails?
Timing and communication are key. Making sure that all staff changes are communicated between the relevant staff members and management before the payroll deadline!
What do you enjoy most about working for Harpenden?
There is always the opportunity to learn more, or have further training in an area you lack confidence in. HBS are always keen advocates for career progression, and I am very thankful for that.
What recent successes have you and your team achieved?
Last month I recently passed my Advanced Technician Payroll Certificate, which I am incredibly proud of as I managed to study for 10 months whilst having a job and two young children to look after, which was actually very challenging.
Within the Finance team we have had leavers and new starters and adjustments to our roles in the last 12 months, but the output from Finance remains consistent because we have a great team.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to go into your line of work?
Go for it, ask questions when unsure and keep up to date with the ever-changing regulations.
What are your goals for 2025?
Professionally, my goal is to develop my management accounting skills further, with the support of my colleagues.
What is something fun you like doing outside of work?
Taking my daughters to their Irish Dance competitions (Feis), reading, going to the theatre and watching episodes of the Office (UK).
If you could pick to have any talent, what would it be?
I wish I could sing…but I can’t!
Who inspires you the most?
Ricky Gervais – as well as a brilliant comedian he campaigns for animal rights.
Do you have a favourite quote?
Keep calm and carry on – Winston Churchill.
If you could work in one other department for the week at Harpenden, where would you go and why?
The People Team. I enjoy the personal side of my role; speaking with staff and helping them with their queries, therefore I would enjoy trying that on another level.
Where is your favourite holiday destination?
Santorini, there’s sun, sea and stray cats.
What is something unique about you?
I read 300+ books a year (Thriller and Romance).
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Treat others how you wish to be treated.
A little bit of housekeeping…
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