Credit union birthday present for Hamilton Vinnies

By CathNews New Zealand

July 15th, 2025

: Vinnies Hamilton general manager Mike Rolton with First Credit Union Hamilton branch manager Elma Van Niekerk (Hamilton Vinnies/Facebook)

Vinnies in Hamilton has received a gift to mark 70 years of a credit union that had its beginnings in a Catholic parish. Source: Waikato Business News.

To celebrate its 70th birthday, First Credit Union donated a total of $70,000 to local foodbanks and charities. Vinnies Hamilton received a $15,000 donation from the credit union last month. On their Facebook page, Vinnies acknowledged the “generous cash donation”.

“Your continuous support makes a real difference in our community, helping us provide essential services to those in need. Thank you for your unwavering commitment and kindness,” the post stated.

Waikato Business News reported that there are still people who go into the head office of First Credit Union and “call it the St Mary’s Credit Union 32 years after it changed its name to Credit Union Hamilton, and then in 2007 to First Credit Union”.

According to Gordon McLauchlan’s history of credit unions in New Zealand, Tom Mitchell, a parishioner at St Mary’s in Hamilton, was responsible for the creation of the credit union, which was the first in the country.

“Catholic with a developed sense of community and, like many of his generation, suspicious and resentful of what he regarded as a concentration of financial power in the hands of too few people,” is how McLaughlan described Mr Mitchell.

Mr Mitchell was inspired by American Jesuit priest Marion Ganey who founded credit unions in the US, Central America, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The credit union, set up for St Mary’s parishioners, started in 1955.

First Credit Union has – according to its June 2024 annual return – 60,788 members, 5300 brought in from others it merged with, $412 million worth of members’ shares and assets of about $500 million. The credit union has remained committed to the philosophy of “People helping people”.

When chief executive Simon Scott joined the board at First Credit Union in Hamilton 19 years ago, there were 45 credit unions in New Zealand. Now there are three.

Apart from the donations to charities, the credit union also marked its 70th birthday with staff from the organisation volunteering in their local communities.

FULL STORY

Giving back to community (By Mary Anne Gill/Waikato Business News)

Members get the credit (Waikato Business News)

Facebook (Vinnies Hamilton/Facebook)