Thank you North Epping Bendigo Community Bank!

Once again the North Epping Branch - Bendigo Community Bank has awarded our group a grant of $500 to purchase wool for the rugs we knit for Wrap With Love. The awards night was tonight  and three of the group's members attended - it is a condition of the awards that a representative of the group must be present at the announcement of the successful applicants or the award will lapse, and we didn't want to take any chances !!

It is always nerve wracking waiting for the announcements, hoping that you'll be successful, but very conscious that there are always more applicants than awards. This year the number of applicants was less than last year, so we didn't have to wait as long to learn our fate!

The concept of community banking is innovative and exciting - as Sharyn Hubert, the manager of the North Epping bank said tonight, it provides a strong model for the wider banking community. The shareholders are, in the main, from the local community. Dividends are capped at a certain percentage of the profits and the extra profits are channeled back into the local community through grants and sponsorships. The big banks often have foundations which distribute money through a grant process, but those grants are of a higher financial level and usually go to universities and other large organisations. Yet, a relatively small amount of money can go a long way in the community to maintain, improve and create services - the local sporting groups, the scout and guide troops,  services for seniors and similar. Our group is both proud and lucky to be among the recipients.

Thank you again North Epping Branch - Bendigo Community Bank.