Celebrating UN International Year of Cooperatives

Celebrating the cooperative movement.

Our story starts on that wet, drizzly night in 1972 when 48 teachers from across the State contributed $10 each to create a line of credit for their colleagues who, because of their profession, didn't qualify for loans from a traditional bank.

The credit union's precious $480 in start-up capital was stored in a shoe box and seven teachers by day became bankers by night.

Our first loan was $200 for a rental bond to a single, female, mother of two children who also happened to be ... a teacher. When no-one else would lend to her, the VTU Credit Union was her answer.

And so began what is today, Bank First - still a bank for teachers but with an extended focus on other professions including nurses and allied health professionals.

Founding, and current, Bank First Member Alan Dash tells it best.