Mayor unveils new collection point at Beacon Park Village

Fusion-trained Beacon residents have volunteered to run the new facility at the Lower Sandford Street retirement village by collecting deposits and carrying out other activities, with admin and support from our administration offices in Edgeworth House.

At 2pm on Tuesday, April 13, the mayor was welcomed by Sue Atkins, Homezone services manager at Beacon Park, and Fusion President, Pete Selwyn.

Sue said: “The new collection point has been enthusiastically welcomed by the customers who live here. Unlike other collection points, access to this one will be restricted to residents and their families, Friends of the Village and residents of nearby St Andrew’s House, Sandford Gate and the Pegasus development.

“Residents from all the schemes will be able to come along to the village and enjoy a coffee and chat on collection days.”

Pete Selwyn said: “We are delighted that the mayor has agreed to officially open our new collection point. Our aims are to encourage members to save and to provide access to loans at reasonable rates of interest. In particular, we aim to discourage the use of high-cost doorstep lenders, payday loan companies and unregulated loan sharks.”

Two residents of the village , Sylvia Dukes and Len Harrison and Mandy Skidmore a member of Extra Cares staff at the village have joined Fusion as volunteers and will run the weekly collection point, initially supported by some of Fusion’s experienced collection point volunteers.

City Mayor, Councilor Thomas, accompanied by the Mayoress, cuts the ribbon, with from the left, volunteers Sylvia Dukes and Len Harrison, Fusion President, Pete Selwyn and Homezone Services Manager, Sue Atkins.

Mandy Skidmore , who is a care assistant with Extra Care at the Village and is also a Fusion Volunteer, with her own souvenir ribbon.