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Students help tackle loan shark problem with winning designs
Competition winning posters created by graphic design students from the University of Bolton will be used as part of a nationwide campaign to tackle loan sharks.
The England Illegal Money Lending Team, working in partnership with us, the University, Bolton Council and Greater Manchester Police, launched the competition for students to create designs which would raise awareness of the issue and reassure the community that help is available.
More than 30 entries were showcased at Bolton Central Library throughout Loan Shark Awareness week and will remain on display until the New Year.
Members of the community were encouraged to vote for their favourite and the winning designs will be used across the country.
Marta Pacholak, who is 21 and from Salford, placed first in the Community Reassurance category, while 20-year-old Amber Roberts from Manchester was runner up.
The Equalities category was won by 19-year-old Nicola Murphy from Manchester, while Dom Horton from Wigan, also 19, came in second.
All four students were presented with awards by Councillor Derek Burrows, Bolton Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhood Services, and Noel Spencer, our Life President.
Carol Allison, Programme Leader Graphic Design at the University of Bolton, said: “Working to a professional brief is a key part of students’ industry experience and they’re really risen to the challenge. We’ve all been impressed by the quality of the students’ work this year and it’s great to see it on show until the New Year as part of an exhibition.”
Tony Quigley, Head of the England Illegal Money Lending Team, said: “We're delighted to work with Bolton University again and are thrilled with the quality of the posters they've developed. Illegal money lenders are a scourge on communities and anything we can do to let the public know that help is available is a good thing. All the posters promote our hotline 0300 555 2222, which we encourage people to ring if they've fallen prey to a loan shark.”
The campaign aims to encourage people to report suspected loan sharks anonymously by calling 0300 555 2222. The phone line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Reports can also be made by texting ‘loan shark + message’ to 60003, emailing reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk or by private message to the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stoploansharksproject
On average, £120 million is loaned illegally every year and more than £450 million is repaid by vulnerable people.
Pictured: one of Marta's designs.