By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
A local bank has marked an incredible milestone, reaching a tally of $1 million reinvested into local community groups and projects.
\nThe Bacchus Marsh Community Bank Branch was established almost eight years ago, in October 2014. The Branch reached its $1 million milestone in July, after providing a $2,000 grant to a new community group, the Parwan Adult Riding Club, for start-up costs.
\nCommunity Bank Chair, Claire Sutherland, said the Branch had always been committed to backing the Bacchus Marsh community, and the groups that make Bacchus Marsh a fantastic place to live.
\n\u201cReaching the $1 million mark is such a fantastic achievement for a community enterprise that many perceived as a far-off dream 10 years ago. But we have taken this dream for a locally-owned and operated bank and turned it into a reality, financially supporting more than 100 community initiatives in the process,\u201d Ms Sutherland said.
\n\u201cThanks to the support of our shareholders, branch staff, company board and customers, we have been able to grow to be one of the biggest sources of community funding in Bacchus Marsh.\u201d
\nBranch Manager Ian Prince said it was a proud moment for him, and everyone involved with the Community Bank Branch.
\n\u201cFrom the outset, this was the reason I joined the Community Bank, to give money back out to the community. The success of the bank is far greater than what I was expecting in that timeframe, so it\u2019s really rewarding to see that money used towards the community,\u201d Mr Prince told the Moorabool News.
\n\u201cThe whole aim of the bank is to improve the town and make it a better place to live in.\u201d
\nWhile three of the big four banks – Westpac, ANZ, and NAB have all closed their branches in Bacchus Marsh in recent years, Mr Prince said the Community Bank was staying put \u2013 and in fact has plans for expansion.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re actually in the process of setting up a new lending suite next door to the Branch, that\u2019ll be open within the next month to six weeks at the latest. The other banks closing has increased our foot traffic, which has increased the number of staff we\u2019ve had to employ,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s been five new staff members employed here just in the last 12 months. So that reflects that we aren\u2019t going anywhere soon.\u201d
\nRecent community groups, projects, and events benefiting from Community Bank funding include the Bacchus Marsh Men\u2019s Shed (new shirts and a storage container), Young Street Kinder (new fort), the Bacchus Marsh Historical Society (digitisation of the Express newspaper), and all sporting clubs in the area, who receive ongoing sponsorship and grants for various projects.
\nMs Sutherland says she hopes the $1 million milestone is just the first of many to come for the Bacchus Marsh Community Bank Branch.
\n\u201cWith the support of the Bacchus Marsh community we can continue to grow, our business and, most importantly, our community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis A local bank has marked an incredible milestone, reaching a tally of $1 million reinvested into local community groups and projects. The Bacchus Marsh Community Bank Branch was established almost eight years ago, in October 2014. The Branch reached its $1 million milestone in July, after providing a $2,000 grant to a […]<\/p>\n