spotlight-online.de

This is a website (and magazine) for speakers of German.
There are lots of different pieces of different length and level.
This example can be found at: Bank of Dave | Spotlight Online

Bank of Dave

11.06.2013

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• banks
 
• exercise
 
• finance
• money

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Page 1 of 3 (33 %)

David Fishwick is frustrated with the banking crisis. "Fifty billion quid! How can you lose 50 billion quid and still pay bonuses?" he asks.

Lancashire businessman David Fishwick is the largest supplier ofminivans in the UK. When the recession hit Britain, many of David's customers found it difficult to get the loans they needed from high-street banks. David knew and trusted his customers and wanted to help them. He decided to set up a bank in Burnley, where he lives.

To start a bank, David needed a license from the Financial Services Authority. But the FSA wouldn't even meet with him unless he put millions of pounds into an account that he could never use. Although he didn't have the license to call himself a bank, he did get the necessary documentation to lend money to his customers.

Then, seeing how little interest people were being offered on their savings, he began looking for a way to make customers' savings work harder for them. With the help of lawyers, he found a way to offer people 5% on their savings. In September 2011, Burnley Savings and Loans Ltd opened its doors under the slogan "Bank on Dave!"

The money people save with David's bank is used to provide business and personal loans in the community. The staff at Burnley Savings and Loans don't get bonuses. Any profits made, after the overheads are paid, are given to charity.

Meet David Fishwick in this short trailer for the Channel 4 programme Bank of Dave:

Now try the exercise on the next page.

Dagmar Taylor

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Together with a video from YouTube:


Bank of Dave: Dave Fishwick How I Took On the Banks - YouTube

So, there's a lot of help with vocab, as well as useful language tips.
And you don't have to be a German speaker to benefit.
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