Rugby branch celebrates 160 years on the high street

Proud staff of Hinckley & Rugby Building Society have celebrated 160 years on the Rugby high street.

Originally founded as the Rugby Provident Permanent Building Society in 1861, the Society was one of two that merged in 1983 to form the Hinckley & Rugby Building Society of today. 

The Rugby branch invited customers and members of the community to join the celebrations at North Street on Friday November 5 and was specially decorated for the event, with memorabilia on display from Rugby’s history. 

Guests on the day included long-serving members and supporters, representatives from Rugby charities, and Rugby MP Mark Pawsey, who presented donations of £160 each to four local charities on behalf of the Society – The St Matthew’s and St Oswald’s Church ‘Make Lunch’ project, the Hoskyn Centre, the Hill Street Community Centre, and The Bradby Club. 

Mark Pawsey said: 

“As somebody who grew up in Rugby, I can remember when this was the Rugby Provident and I recall reading in the paper about the merging of the societies to become Hinckley & Rugby.”  

Of the Society’s work he added:

“It wasn’t until I became an MP that I learned about some of the fantastic work being done with many of the charities around Rugby. It is really appreciated by people across the town, and I am sure that the contributions that Hinckley & Rugby have made today will be great help to those who need our support in this town.” 

During the event, Hinckley & Rugby Building Society’s Chief Executive, Colin Fyfe, officially opened an in-branch collection point for Rugby Foodbank. 

He said the Society was committed to giving back to its local communities, strengthening its presence outside its branches, and connecting more directly with members. 

He added:

“We’re celebrating the 160th year of the Society in Rugby. We are so proud to be here after all this time and we are absolutely determined to stay on this site for the future for our community. This anniversary is an opportunity for us to re-energise our work locally through our community strategy. For us, this is all about sharing. Sharing our time, our expertise, and our resources with some very deserving causes. We are also looking forward to sharing another 160 years.” 

Find out more about how Hinckley & Rugby Building Society supports local communities.