In 1980, at a Green Party conference, a Yorkshire solicitor complained of the difficulty he had in finding a mortgage for a property needing extensive renovation. Someone asked 'Why don't we start a building society?' and Ecology was formed.

In those days, a building society could be started with just £5,000, so ten people put in £500 each (some of whom still save with us!). We began trading in 1981, from a tiny upstairs office in Cross Hills, West Yorkshire, just a few miles from our current eco-HQ.