This is the Supreme Award for Great Britain and Ireland – given to the highest aggregate score achieved across all Award categories.

It’s interesting to note that the inaugural Award in 2011 was won by a small credit union that entered a number of categories, winning one, but as a result of its aggregate scores across all the categories entered, showing skills and accomplishments in depth, won the “Filene” – beating many giant credit unions.  This was Norfolk Credit Union Ltd.

Owing to a poor standard and number of entries in 2012, the Promoters decided the “Filene” would not be awarded.  So it can be seen this Award is not given automatically.

In 2013, the Runner-up for this Award didn’t win any single category but again, as runner-up in a number, showed its strength and depth, achieving the second highest score and Citysave Credit Union Ltd, Birmingham took home the “Filene” Runner-up Award.  The Winner that year was Capital Credit Union Ltd, Edinburgh, that continues to strive for and achieve performance excellence.

Again in 2014, no Award was made as too few credit unions had entered for more than one category, restricting the number of entries required to achieve a high aggregate score.

In 2015, the coveted title was won by South Yorkshire Credit Union Ltd, showing a wide breadth of activities undertaken, leadership and management strength.

In 2016, for the first time, the same credit union won both the “Beacon Credit Union of the Year” and the “Edward Filene Credit Union Award for Social Entrepreneurship” – Dragonsavers Credit Union Ltd – an incredible performance and not likely to be equalled for many years. 

The winning credit union in 2017 - Prince Bishops Community Bank had knocked on the door previously, having been Runner Up in 2016 and raising its competencies year on year with the highly beneficial effect of improving its services for its owner-members.  Prince Bishops entered again, winning a record number of categories and achieved the highest aggregate score overall.

In 2018, the "Social Entrepreneurship Award" was won by a credit union scoring points in 7 categories, winning 3 and coming Runner Up in 4 others, showing enormous versatility and strength in depth - Community First Credit Union Ltd.

2019 brought about a very close race, Community First Credit Union Ltd again scooping the win, but coming incredibly close behind, just a very few points between them, was Coalisland Credit Union Ltd. that broke the overall record for the number of categories won - 8; and, for the first time in the history of the Supreme Award, a credit union achieved the Highly Commended Award - East Sussex Credit Union Ltd.