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Guest Blog: Martin McCarthy, Charity Bank

Martin McCarthy has recently taken up the position of Regional Manager to head up Charity Bank’s Northern Ireland operations and is looking to provide loan finance to the region’s housing sector.

Charity Bank, the bank for good that is owned by the social sector and exists to support charities and social enterprises, has appointed a new Regional Manager for Northern Ireland, Martin McCarthy.

A graduate in Banking and Finance from the University of Ulster, Martin brings over 30 years’ experience from working with AIB Group/First Trust Bank across Northern Ireland where he has undertaken various management roles including Lending, Credit and Customer Relationship Management. He is also a Director of Building Change Trust and is Chair of his local church’s Finance Committee.

Martin took up his new post at the beginning of this year and is looking forward to growing Charity Bank’s lending book across Northern Ireland:

“Charity Bank’s ethos and clear position as a bank for good was what drew me to the role. It provides loans to help charities and social enterprises to buy property, develop social housing or community facilities, support expansion plans, manage their working capital or undertake social projects. When an organisation pays back its loan, the money is used by Charity Bank to lend to another organisation working to benefit society.

“For over a decade, Charity Bank has been actively supporting charities in Northern Ireland where there is a wonderful diversity of charities and social enterprises working hard to make a difference in their communities. We want to be able to build this presence to support more great causes.

“Charity Bank has experience in lending to organisations that are working to provide affordable housing across the UK. In Northern Ireland, we recently supported the work of the charity Extern, providing a loan to enable the development of its new project Extern Homes. A first for Northern Ireland, this initiative provides affordable accommodation complete with wraparound support services to homeless people, offering a sustainable way for them to begin rebuilding their lives.

“In my new role, I will be helping to expand Charity Bank’s lending portfolio in Northern Ireland so that it can support more important initiatives like this.”

Charity Bank lends to charities, housing associations and other organisations where the loan is for a social purpose. To find out more visit charitybank.org, or contact Martin on 07824 340889 or email mmccarthy@charitybank.org.