Flying Banker Continues Vital Service to Remote UK Islands

Few bank workers' days begin with the whirr of propellers, but for Lois Canning, Britain's only dedicated Flying Banker, a short flight on a ten-seater plane is part of an average morning. This unique service, connecting some of the remotest parts of the British Isles, is currently marking its 60th anniversary.

Canning, who now lives on the Orkney island of Shapinsay, flies to meet NatWest Group customers on tiny islands who still depend on a physical banker for essential cash transactions, advice, or when the region's temperamental internet connection fails. Her role ensures that in areas increasingly becoming bank-branch deserts due to over 1,500 closures by NatWest Group since 2015, access to in-person banking services remains available.

Her customers, ranging from students to farmers and business owners, view the service as a lifeline. "Some people tell me I have the best job in the world," Canning said. She is prepared for being unexpectedly marooned if the weather closes in or if planes or ferries face disruption. Last week, gales cancelled her return flight from Westray, requiring a 90-minute ferry journey through choppy seas. "It's not unusual for this time of year, especially. Even in summer we get disruption, often from the haar [sea fog]," she noted.

On Westray, an island of 600 people, Canning operates from a small building next to the shore every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., serving up to 50 customers daily. She provides a "cash in, cash out" service, handles cheque deposits, and assists customers with banking app issues. When Westray's undersea internet cable was damaged in March, Canning's in-branch service became crucial. Farmers like Stewart Groat, 49, who runs multiple businesses, depend on her for cash transactions and change, services not readily available at the local Post Office. "Having the Flying Banker makes the islanders feel valued," Groat commented.

University student Phoebe Ryder, 19, uses the service to deposit her wages and has received personal account advice from Canning, including setting up an ISA. "If you go to the bank in Kirkwall, it's a round-trip of three hours and you end up losing a day," Ryder explained.

Teenie Harcus, 59, who runs a hostel, B&B, and campsite, highlighted the importance of access to cash for her business, stating, "it's important to be able to bank it and access change." Cattle farmer Maggie Drever, 65, has used the Flying Banker since she was 16, utilizing the service for depositing cheques from livestock auctions and helping her elderly mother with online banking. "Lois is very patient and takes her time with people," Drever said.

Margaret Hutchison, treasurer of the Westray Heritage Trust, also relies on Canning for cash transactions, noting that Canning "knows everybody and she's good to deal with." On alternate Thursdays, Canning flies to the islands of Sanday and Stronsay, where she has facilitated the use of bank buildings for the Sanday Community Craft Hub to use as meeting space when she is not present.

NatWest Group also operates a mobile banking service with a fleet of vans across the UK, covering 577 stops. These "banks on wheels" handle cash transactions and assist customers struggling with digital services, often serving as a vital point of social contact. Graeme Lowe, who drives an RBS van in rural Aberdeenshire, described the service as sometimes "the only regular contact" some customers have. Nicky Adam, an outdoor equipment shop owner in Banchory, noted that the mobile branch saves him significant travel time compared to visiting the nearest branch in Aberdeen.

Andrew Harrison, NatWest Group's head of local banking, stated that the Flying Banker service addresses the challenge of providing necessary banking access in remote areas. "What she does is truly special. She the face of banking in those communities and is really well-known," he added. NatWest Group is investing £50 million in revamping its remaining 336 branches and has pledged to keep them open until at least 2029.