Our MoneySmart project celebrates 5 years of helping change lives

Wednesday, 8th July 2026

After five years of supporting local people with their finances, the MoneySmart project has officially come to an end – and we'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped make it such a success.

Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and delivered by Darlington Credit Union, MoneySmart was created to improve financial confidence, reduce financial exclusion and help people across Darlington build stronger financial futures.

Over the lifetime of the project we have:

• Supported more than 350 people through 1:1 MoneySmart appointments.
• Helped 160 people manage their priority bills through our Bills Accounts.
• Delivered financial education to more than 2,000 people in schools, community groups and organisations.
• Reached tens of thousands of people through social media and community engagement.

The real success of MoneySmart has been the lives changed. From helping people through financial crisis to building confidence and creating long-term financial resilience, we've seen first-hand the difference that early support can make. 

One customer summed it up simply:

"Darlington Credit Union has saved my life."

None of this would have been possible without the support of our partners, community organisations, referral agencies and, of course, The National Lottery Community Fund. Thank you to everyone who worked alongside us to help local people improve their financial wellbeing.

We're Still Here to Help

Although the MoneySmart project has now finished, Darlington Credit Union is still here to support our community.

Whether you're looking to save, borrow responsibly, manage your bills or simply need help getting your finances back on track, our friendly team is here for you.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the MoneySmart journey.