My name is Paul Prior. I'm the chair of the Bendigo Community Bank at Goodwood. The bank started in 2005. Most of the big banks had all left Goodwood.
What happened was, when the businesses and the residents got together, they wanted to have bricks and mortar bank in the area. Unlike traditional banks, a community bank can give back to its community and in our case, we can give up to 80 % of our profits annually back to the community groups like helping the Capri Theatre to go to local cricket clubs to be able to rename the oval the community bank oval. Since 2005 we've given nearly 500,000 dollars back into the community.
My name's Jess and I run Felt a digital content agency located here on Goodwood Road in the Goodwood Village. I didn't realise that a profit with purpose model of banking actually existed where the profits for the bank will literally go back to the community, and I absolutely love it. I love what it's about, its ethos, and I think it's wonderful to have something that's a local that exists in a world that really is pretty decentralised.
I’m Robert Rowe and I play for the Goodwood Cricket Club. Any sort of support that we can get to promote cricket and, you know, that Bendigo Bank can sort of see that, see the benefit of that and having a place to come and, you know, spend a weekend, spend time with friends, family, and support that - it means the world that it can keep going from one generation to the next.
I’m Kristy and I live local and one of my favourite memories is opening up all four children’s bank accounts with Community Bank Goodwood. My three sons and my daughter have all played for Mitcham Hawks Football Club. In fact, my eldest still plays for them and coaches the girls under 16s. I just love the fact that this bank gives back to the community and we actually appreciate it so much. Being a mum, seeing what goes back into the club, it's just been so helpful.
So, I've been a branch manager here coming up six years in October and incredibly proud to be part of a story that's spanned 20 years now this year. And a story of community and giving back to that community and supporting the community that we live in. We've got some really exciting plans coming forward for the future around that community support and really diversifying how we give back to the community.
We're really excited to launch this new aspect and see what that can bring and what we can do with the profits that we've made to further continue support - into areas of need and areas of significance in the community. We're very, very proud of what we've been able to achieve in the first 20 years. We're coming up with new and exciting initiatives if you bank with us, the community benefits.
