CU Futures Celebrates 10-Year Milestone with Launch of 2026 Cohort

2026 marks a major milestone for CU Futures as the celebrated leadership development programme reaches its 10th year. Since its inception in 2016, CU Futures has played a transformative role in shaping the next generation of leaders across Britain’s credit union sector—an achievement proudly commemorated with this year’s intake.

The 2026 cohort gathered in Rochdale, the birth of the cooperative sector before an inspiring launch event at Holyoake House the following day. The group where they had the chance to connect with their peers, delve into the year-long programme ahead, and hear from key figures in the movement.

Presentations were delivered by members of the ABCUL staff team, including Chief Executive, Matt Bland and ABCUL President, Paul Norgrove, who offered words of encouragement and insight into the sector’s evolving landscape.

This year’s class of CU Futures includes:

• Natasha Horton – Serve & Protect
• Katie Walker – The Money Co-op
• Egle Sviderskaite – Penny Post Group
• Cathiana Nicolas – HEY CU
• Harry Spence – Pennine Community Credit Union
• Lesley Brown – Wirral Credit Union
• Anna Harding – Central Credit Union
• Lailani Wilson – Croydon Plus Credit Union
• James Paul – Hoot Credit Union
• Joe Flanagan – Enterprise Credit Union

Over the next 12 months, these emerging professionals will embark on a journey of personal development, industry engagement, and strategic thinking. The programme is designed to expose participants to the wider credit union movement, build their confidence, and prepare them to shape the future of the sector.

Marking a decade of success, CU Futures has now supported 91 graduates since 2016. One of those alumni is Jake Hatch, CU Futures Programme Manager, who now leads the initiative that helped launch his own career. Reflecting on the programme’s impact, Jake shared:

“Having experienced firsthand the transformative impact of CU Futures, I’m thrilled to be launching the 2026 cohort and celebrating 10 years of this incredible journey. The programme has been instrumental in my professional growth, and I have no doubt it will continue to develop the future leaders of our sector. Applications are always in high demand, and I encourage aspiring credit union professionals to seize this incredible opportunity.”

Congratulations and best of luck to the CU Futures 2026 participants.