EVERYTHING FOR THE COMMUNITY: Mr Stuart Ashley, a Community Councillor in Cwmbran, and a development worker for Torfaen Credit Union gave a talk on his life in community work, with the aid of a computer aided projector, to the Probus Club of Pontypool, at their meeting at Panteg House, on Wednesday, February 28.

Stuart was the co-ordinator of TRAC (Torfaen Resource and Activity Centre - Drop In) in Pontypool for eight years, from 1999 to 2007, and he has worked in voluntary and community organisations, including one spell in local government with similar areas of working with elderly people, care work, the environment, education and volunteering.

He told us that he cares passionately about working with people and their communities and how this can be improved. This was also made evident by the enthusiasm he displayed for the aforementioned work during the talk.

There were numerous interesting slides of various projects undertaken by TRAC, and it was stressed that much of the work involved was that done by volunteers, who carried out their task very diligently, making the projects, albeit on a relatively modest scale cost wise, very successful.

Start explained how the Torfaen Credit Union worked, in that it was by members creating a pool of money, which, in turn, is used to provide low cost loans to members.

After the necessary expenses are paid and reserves set aside, surplus savings are returned to members by way of a dividend on savings and lower loan rates.

Questions from Probus members revealed their interest in the subject matter, particularly about the Torfaen Credit Union, which were candidly answered by Stuart.

The chairman gave the formal thanks to the speaker for the talk and fellow members responded with appreciative applause.

For more information about Torfaen Credit Union, you can either email info@torfaencredit union.co.uk or telephone 01495 750020.