Last week, our team hit the road to help raise awareness about loan sharks. These are people who lend money illegally and can cause real harm to individuals and families. We want to make sure our customers know how to spot the signs and where to go for help.

To do this, we teamed up with the England Illegal Money Lending Team, Citizen Housing, and local police in the Wyre Forest area. We also brought along a special guest – Sid the Shark – who helped us get people talking and made a big splash everywhere we went!

We spent time in different places across the area, chatting with people and handing out information to keep everyone safe. Here's where you might have seen us:

• Monday 7 July – We were outside Tesco in Stourport from 11am to 2pm. Lots of shoppers stopped to find out more.
• Tuesday 8 July – We joined the Live Here, Love Here event at Bircher Green, Comberton, from 11am to 2pm. It was a great day with local residents dropping by for a chat.
• Wednesday 9 July – We visited The Swan Centre from 11am to 2pm, sharing advice and stories with passers-by.
• Thursday 10 July – We were at Tesco on Castle Road in Kidderminster from 11am to 2pm. Then in the afternoon, we visited St Bartholomew’s Primary School in Stourport-on-Severn between 2.30 to 4pm.

Thank you to all the staff who gave up their time to help during the week – especially those from our Money Advice and Sustainability Team (MAST), Income and Localities teams. Your support made a real difference.

If you need any further help or advice on Loan Sharks, then please contact Stop Loan Sharks. They investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders and provide support for borrowers in the UK. If you have borrowed from a loan shark or are worried about someone else, please speak to their specially trained staff on 0300 555 2222, or start a live chat on their website – www.stoploansharks.co.uk