Most banks and insurance companies claim that teachers are an important target audience. However few could claim to take them as seriously as Wesleyan for Teachers. Started by the Baptist Church of Birmingham in 1841, Wesleyan merged with the Medical Sickness Society in 1997 and the Professional Affinity Group Services in 2002.

In 2003 they signed a partnership agreement with the National Association of Schoolmasters and the Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) to provide specialist financial services to their 200,000 members.

By contrast, the much larger National Union of Teachers (NUT) has financial deals for its members but with a wide range of businesses including the Bank of Scotland (NUT Membership Loans), Teacher’s Building Society, Norwich Union and Teacher’s Provident. All of which go to show that while unionism may be declining, in education there is money to be made by working with unions and their members.

• www.bankofscotland.co.uk

• www.norwichunion.com

• www.teachersbs.co.uk

• www.teachers.org.uk

• www.teachersunion.org.uk

• www.teachers-group.co.uk

• www.wesleyanforteachers.co.uk