Financial Inclusion Champions
What are Financial Inclusion Champions?
The Financial Inclusion Champions programme is run by the DWP. The Champions programme is intended to take forward the work of the Now Let's Talk Money campaign.
The Financial Inclusion Champions work across their area to build and coordinate partnerships to promote financial inclusion. In particular they aim to stimulate the demand for, and in some cases increase the supply of, basic financial services for financially excluded people. All Champions work together in order to support the government's financial inclusion policy.Financial Inclusion Champions cover geographic regions in the UK. There are also thematic Champions - for Housing, Rural areas and Home Contents Insurance.
The Financial Inclusion Champions programme has £12 million funding over three years. The funding will be split across all the English regions, Wales and Scotland.
The now let's talk money website has the latest updates from DWP.
Who are the Financial Inclusion Champions?
| Area | Host Organisation | Name | Phone | |
| Housing Strategic Champion |
Chartered Institute of Housing | Sharon Wheeler | 02476851745 | sharon.wheeler@cih.org |
| Housing Champion |
Chartered Institute or Housing | Holly Reid | 02476851745 | holly.reid@cih.org |
| Rural areas Strategic Champion |
Commission for Rural Communities | Will Aston | 01242 533435 | will.aston@ruralcommunities.gov.uk |
| Rural areas Champion |
Commission for Rural Communitirs | Joy Robinson | 01242 534098 | joy.robinson@ruralcommunities.gov.uk |
Bristol Strategic Champion |
Bristol City Council | Suzanne Wigmore | 0117 9225744 | suzanne.wigmore@bristol.gov.uk |
Cumbria Strategic Champion |
Derwent & Solway housing Association | Amanda Pyper | 01900 607532 | amanda.pyper@harvesthousing.org.uk |
| Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Champion |
Fabrick | Ross Hume | 01642 257 815 | ross.hume@fabrickgroup.co.uk |
| Fabrick | Linda Evans | 01642 257 814 | linda.evans@fabrickgroup.co.uk | |
Durham and Tees Valley Champion |
Fabrick | Lisa Fearn | 01642 773650 | lisa.fearn@fabrickgroup.co.uk |
| East and South Midlands Strategic Champion |
Leicester Money Advice | Karl Walkinshaw | 0116 2421150 | karl.walkinshaw@leicestermoneyadvice.org.uk |
| East and South Midlands Champion |
Leicester Money Advice | Paul J Di Mambro | 0116 2421135 | paul.dimambro@leicestermoneyadvice.org.uk |
East and South Midlands Champion |
Leicester Money Advice | Matthew Earnshaw | 0116 2421153 | matthew.earnshaw@leicestermoneyadvice.org.uk |
East Yorks, North Lincolnshire, Humberside Strategic Champion | Sanctuary Housing | Joanne Foster | 01482 383107 | joanne.foster@sanctuary-housing.co.uk |
East Yorks, North Lincolnshire, Humberside Champion | Sanctuary Housing | Emma Bergin | 01482 383107 | emma.bergin@sanctuary-housing.co.uk |
Greater Merseyside Strategic Champion | Lancashire County Council | Lydia Plackett | 01772 530763 | lydia.plackett@lancashire.gov.uk |
Greater Merseyside Champion | Lancashire County Council | Paula Skinner | 01772 530762 | paula.skinner@lancashire.gov.uk |
| London Strategic Champion | Toynbee Hall | Yasin Ahmed | 0207 392 2983 | yasin.ahmed@toynbeehall.org.uk |
London Councils Champion | London Councils | Susan Holmes | 0207 934 9912 | susan.holmes@londoncouncils.gov.uk |
London N & E Champion | Community Links | Wai-Fong Pang | 020 7473 2270 | wai-fong.pang@community-links.org |
London South Champion | Blackfriars Advice Centre | Debbie Morey | 0207 358 5995 | debbie.morey@blackfriars-advice.com |
London West Champion | Hammersmith and Fulham Citizens Advice Bureau | Ros Bentley | 0207 385 0579 | ros.bentley@hfcab.org.uk |
| Manchester Strategic Champion | Manchester City Council | Neela Mody | 0161 234 1494 | neela.mody@manchester.gov.uk |
| Manchester Champion | Manchester City Council | Liz Jacobs | 0161-2341494 | l.jacobs@manchester.gov.uk |
Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Strategic Champion | South Tyneside Council | Bronwyn Twizell | 0191 424 7624 | bronwyn.twizell@southtyneside.gov.uk |
Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Champion | South Tyneside Council | Alison Baxter | 0191 424 6104 | alison.baxter@southtyneside.gov.uk |
Scotland Strategic Champion | Inverclyde Council | Anne Feeney | 01475 714069 | anne.feeney@inverclyde.gov.uk |
| Scotland East Champion | Dundee City Council | Lynn Cunningham | 01382 433369 | lynn.cunningham@dundeecity.gov.uk |
| Scotland Islands Champion | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council | Alison MacCorquodale | 01851 709311 | AlisonMacCorquodale@cne-siar.gov.uk |
| Scotland West Champion | Inverclyde Council | Aidan Tyrall | 07913129869 | aidan@fichampionsscotland.org.uk |
| South Coast Cities Strategic Champion | First Wessex Housing Group | David Miles | 07760 990677 | david.miles@firstwessex.org |
| South Coast Cities Champion | First Wessex Housing Group | Darren Bruce | 07961 544508 | darren.bruce@firstwessex.org |
| South Coast Cities Champion | First Wessex Housing Group | Simon Lawson | 07917 643603 | simon.lawson@firstwessex.org |
| South Yorkshire Strategic Champion | Financial Inclusion Services Yorkshire | Eric Thompson | 0114 276 0787 | ericthompson@fisy1.co.uk |
| South Yorkshire Champion | Financial Inclusion Services Yorkshire | Liz Tooke | 0114 276 0787 | liztooke@fisy1.co.uk |
| Wales Strategic Champion | Wales Co-operative Society | Katija Dew | 029 2055 6156 | katija.dew@walescoop.com |
| Wales Champion | Wales Co-operative Society | Rhian Hughes | 01492 641 641 | rhian.hughes@walescoop.com |
| Wales Champion | Wales Co-operative Society | Ryan Paul Jones | 01443 742 143 | ryan.jones@walescoop.com |
| West Midlands Strategic Champion | Birmingham City Council | Jenny Quinn | 0121 675 1666 | jenny.quinn@birmingham.gov.uk |
| West Midlands Champion | Birmingham City Council | Diane Fox | 0121 3039 143 | diane.fox@birmingham.gov.uk |
| West Midlands Champion | Birmingham City Council | Nadeem Mahammed | 0121 3039 143 | nadeem.mahammed@birmingham.gov.uk |
| West Yorkshire Strategic Champion | Accent Group | Ehjaz Gull | 01274 767803 | ehjaz.gull@accentgroup.org |
| West Yorkshire Champion | Accent Group | Nassara Bostan | 01274 767841 | nassara.bostan@Accentgroup.org |
