Bob’s Blog: MALG Virtual Connect – six weeks to go!

Our second annual MALG Virtual Connect on 24 March 2022 is now just six weeks away and bookings are coming in thick and fast. The event is designed to offer MALG members and wider stakeholders the opportunity to take a step back from the day job and join us from their own homes/offices across the UK to discuss the latest hot topics and network with others from across the debt landscape. We know how important collaboration, relationships, and debate are at this time and we are working on a programme that will provide maximum opportunities for this.

We’re very pleased to now be able to reveal the topics we’ll be covering. The full line-up of speakers and more detail on each of the sessions is coming soon.

Theme: ‘Where are we now?: Two years into the pandemic (and one year on from the first MALG Virtual Connect)’.

Outline programme:

09:00 – 09:10  Welcome and informal networking
09:10 – 09:30  Introduction to the MALG Virtual Connect
09:30 – 09:45  Update from Liz Barclay, Small Business Commissioner
09:45 – 10:15  Keynote: Financial Education Initiative – John Pears, UK CEO, Lowell
10:15 – 11:00   Financial Literacy Panel Discussion – panel to include Mick McAteer, Chair of Financial Inclusion Centre and Registry Trust
11:00 – 11:15  Comfort break / networking time
11:15 – 12:15  Breakout sessions 1:

• 1a: Face-to-face debt advice in an age of inflation
• 1b: TBC

12.15 – 12.30  ‘Breaking news’
12:30 – 13:30  Lunchtime and networking opportunities
13:30 – 14:30  Breakout sessions 2:

• 2a: Enabling better debt solutions through tech – Ryan Hayes and Lee Usher, Trustfolio
• 2b: Impacts and updates following the pandemic

14:30 – 15:00  Round-up discussion, summary, and close

If you are interested in speaking or discussing sponsorship opportunities, please contact bob.winnington@malg.org.uk.

Our utilities-themed National Members Meeting last week couldn’t have been more timely, with Ofgem’s big announcement coming during the presentation from Jess Cook of National Energy Action. Thanks to Jess and our other speakers, Daniella Weduwer of Energy UK and Andy White of Consumer Council for Water, and to all those who attended.

All MALG National Members should have received an email with exclusive access to presentations and papers.

Please save the date for our planned first face-to-face National Members Meeting since the onset of the pandemic on 12 May 2022.

MALG and Absolutely Admin are once again offering our virtual hosting services at a discounted MALG Member rate to Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS) for its ‘The Vulnerability Jigsaw’ event on Thursday 24 February at 9.30.

The session will cover some of the areas where vulnerability data is obtained from, why it is useful, and how it can be utilised to allow companies to achieve the right outcomes for their customers. Speakers include EstateSearch’s Ben Furlong, Illegal Money Lending Team’s Cath Wohlers, Young Banker of the Year Worldwide Rosie Lyon, Welsh Water’s Kim Hopkins, and Ascendant Solutions’ Richard Hanby.

Click here to find out more and register your place.

We’re looking forward to our next MALG Friday Forum tomorrow. The fortnightly, hour-long, drop-in event held via Zoom is open to all national and regional members and, while there are some who attend every session, we encourage occasional attendance whenever you can make it so please join in if/when you can.

It’s an informal, discussion-based session where you can pick up some really useful insights from other MALG Members. We are looking to continue to deliver this value added benefit to our members as we navigate the ever-changing environment we are all living in.

If you want to share or discuss any particularly pressing topics, you can either join the forum and raise your virtual hand, or please email us on info@malg.org.uk in advance and we can arrange for you to introduce your topic to the room yourself.

Full details including joining instructions can be found here.

Remember, if you are a National Member, you have access to some or all of our Regional Group Meetings so please take advantage of this membership benefit.

Details of all upcoming regional meetings, including MALG North West on 2 March, MALG Midlands on 9 March, MALG South West on 17 March, and MALG Scotland on 22 March, can be found at www.malg.org.uk/events.

If you aren’t currently being invited to regional meetings and think you should be/want to be, please contact the relevant regional secretary:

• MALG South East: beth.forbes@fundingcircle.com
• MALG South West: bob.winnington@malg.org.uk
• MALG Midlands: sebrina.mccullough@financialwellnessgroup.co.uk
• MALG North East & Yorkshire: paul.bowden@wilkinchapman.co.uk
• MALG North West: joanne.brookes@bridgewaterfinancegroup.co.uk
• MALG Northern Ireland: sinead@adviceni.net
• MALG Scotland: frank.johnstone@brodies.com
• MALG East Anglia: info@malg.org.uk