Bendigo Bank Canterbury Surrey Hills - Celebrating 15 years

CANTERBURY SURREY HILLS COMMUNITY FINANCE LIMITED

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS

AND $5.6 MILLION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

CANTERBURY SURREY HILLS COMMUNITY FINANCE LIMITED

CELEBRATING 15

YEARS

AND $5.6 MILLION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Message from the Bendigo Bank Chairman

Congratulations and happy 15th birthday to everyone connected with Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance. You have all achieved a great deal:

y Earned $5 million in surpluses which has been reinvested in local projects, support and facilities, each dollar of which will have generated more activity.

y Built a stronger local community.

y Established a sustainable long term business which can continue to provide local support.

After such success and 15 years later, it would be easy to forget how radical and prescient were the original idea and effort to create Canterbury and Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited. It took a big leap of faith and financial commitment and a great deal of hard work by volunteers and staff. And it survived a global financial crisis soon after establishing its third branch in Ashburton.

But in a year when the Royal Commission into misconduct in the financial services industry has revealed so much appalling behaviour, your bank and your community are salutary reminders of what our industry should be doing and why it is so important. We exist to help our customers and their communities prosper.

We have seen a great deal of change in the industry over the past 15 years. Customers now expect to be able to transact with their bank instantly and securely from wherever they are in the world, and from their mobile phone. And it’s likely there will be more change than ever before over the next decade as we adapt to the new digital world. So there is a lot to do. Everyone at Bendigo Bank looks forward to working with you.

Robert Johanson Chairman Bendigo & Adelaide Bank

Above: Robert Johanson is the Chairman of the Bendigo & Adelaide Bank.

Message from our Chairman

Firstly, thank you to those in Bendigo Bank, who had the vision 20 years ago to develop and support community banking, and those who continue to support the model and its success.

Secondly, thanks to our shareholders who wanted to keep banking present in the shopping strips of Surrey Hills and Canterbury, and then in Ashburton and Balwyn which by then were seeing the material impact of community banking investment in their community.

Thirdly, our staff provide the best service and demonstrate daily the benefits of banking with a Community Bank®, including caring for our customers’ needs. They also participate in many of our community activities and attend many sponsored events and functions on the company’s behalf.

Finally, but in effort most importantly, I’m very grateful to my fellow Directors throughout the journey so far, and those who participated in the steering committees to open our Community Bank® branches. In particular I want to recognise the efforts of founding Chairman Dick Menting, who was instrumental in bringing banking back to both Canterbury and Surrey Hills. Dick was Board Chairman for 10 years, then became the company’s Chief Executive Officer for a period, and is still an active Director today. Dick and the board’s commitment has been outstanding and together we’ve created a very professional organisation that balances business and community driven objectives.

Since the company became profitable, we have returned monies to the community across all areas—sporting, disability, aged care or youth to name a few. Importantly, everyone in our community can apply for funding support.

Our commitment to community and community banking has brought us to where we are today. We’ve returned over $5 million to the community and we have a strong business of almost $800 million in footings that continues to grow. It is a business with firmly entrenched values of caring for the community and customers at its core.

In the future, we believe we can continue to provide growing support for our community. We are looking to larger projects and more significant support, which will embed community banking even further into the fabric of our community.

Juliann Byron Chairman

Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited

Reflecting on the past 15 years and our company’s success, I’m so grateful to those who enabled this to happen.

Right: Juliann Byron is the Board Chairman.

Message from our Founding Chairman

I learned about community banking from the people driving the Warburton campaign and other branches subsequently opened in the Yarra Valley. When David Bradshaw told me that Maling Road’s last bank was going to close, I was ready. The initial phase was obtaining letters of support from locals. Bruce Chisholm, a founding Director, and I spent many days at a card table outside Kenn Buckley’s IGA in Maling Road. I formed many friendships throughout my community banking journey, with many locals but also with many Directors of other community banks. My mentor was Max Papley from Lang Lang. We learned much from each other—Max the very efficient organiser and people person, and me with a long banking background.

Our success is largely attributed to two factors: first, the drive of our Directors to make the CASH Group a major funder of community projects; and second, the capacity of two of our Senior Managers, Michael Petering and Nick Coker, to provide great personal banking service to our customers. We have seen many staff come and go, and they all contributed to the personal service that we are known for in our communities.

I am very proud that the CASH Group has always been regarded as a forerunner in developing better operations and community involvement. This would not have been possible without the contributions of all of our Directors and staff. In particular, I thank Juliann Byron for the dedication she showed, initially in ‘cleaning up’ our accounting and legal/secretarial requirements. Since becoming Chairman, Juliann has been involved in virtually all changes for the better in the past five years.

For a number of years, we have been regarded as the largest Community Bank® group in Australia, because we have the largest amount of business on our books. We are not quite there yet with the amount of funding that we have provided to our communities, but we are closing in on that record as well.

Any help that you as a reader can give us, by referring new business, will make our CASH Group even stronger, and increase the assistance we can offer to our communities.

Dick Menting Founding Chairman Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited

Initially, the Bendigo Bank community banking model was driven by the large number of branch closures by the other banks, especially in country Victoria. However, it became apparent very quickly that other factors would drive the rapid expansion of the Community Bank® model. There is the promise of significant investment in community organisations and projects, and the camaraderie of the volunteer Directors who assisted each other in the many facets of community banking.

Left: Dick Menting was the founding Board Chairman. He is still a Director.

The Community Bank® model requires partnerships with local people and community enterprises to provide communities with quality banking services, employment opportunities, a local investment option for shareholders, and importantly, a source of revenue for projects determined by local people.

When Michael Petering arrived for his interview as the Business Development Manager for a newly established community banking company, he wondered what he’d got himself into. “I knocked on the door of a residential home in Mont Albert, and I was invited to sit at one end of the dining table. At the other end were six interviewers—three Directors from the company and three people from Bendigo Bank,” said Michael. “As I left the interview, I remember thinking I’m not sure how long this role would last—maybe 3 months max,” he admitted.

What he’d got himself into was helping build a community banking business from scratch—Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited (the CASH Group). The company has lasted considerably longer than 3 months—it is Australia’s largest community banking company and is celebrating 15 years of providing local banking services and supporting the community.

This success reflects the commitment of the many people involved in the company—steering committee members, board members, shareholders, staff and indeed the people in the community who bank with one of the company’s branches. It started with the simple aim of bringing local banking services back to suburban shopping strips, and has grown into a social enterprise that’s helping to build strong and prosperous communities.

It has a board that is not afraid to try new things, adapting its service model over time to meet customer needs—changing branch opening hours to

reflect demand, hiring Mobile Relationship Managers who can visit customers at their home or business, and upskilling branch staff to build better relationships with customers. The board is also always looking for new ways to foster partnerships with community organisations.

“Our community banking model is so innovative—I don’t think people realise just how innovative it is. I’d like to keep innovating. I want us to keep thinking about what our customers need. How can we use technology to service those needs? How can we use our Community Investment Program to encourage young people to be leaders and entrepreneurs?” said Daizy Maan (Director).

In the pages that follow, you’ll read the company’s story.

Above: Michael Petering was the CASH Group’s first Business Development Manager.

It really was a joy presenting the community banking concept at local club events, talking directly with customers and local businesses, but the highlight was presenting at annual general meetings. Seeing so many passionate people getting involved in their local community—it was an honour and a privilege to be a part of.”

Michael Petering, former Business Development Manager

Right: Surrey Hills Community Bank®.

May 1998

ANZ closes its branch on Union Road, Surrey Hills

Commonwealth Bank closes its branch on Toorak Road, Hartwell

October 2000

Commonwealth Bank closes its branch on Union Road, Surrey Hills

November 2001

Feasibility studies are prepared for both the Surrey Hills and the Canterbury Community Bank® branches

December 2001

Both Surrey Hills and Canterbury Community Bank® branches assessed as viable

August 2002

Michael Petering is appointed Business Development Manager

February 2003

The Hon. John Lenders MP (Victorian Government Finance Minister) opens the Surrey Hills Community Bank® Branch

Grace Smith is the first customer

November 2005

CASH Group records $100 million of banking business and over 4000 accounts

June 2006

CASH Group records its first annual year profit and banking business (deposits and lending) exceeds $110 million

July 2007

CASH Group forms the Ashburton Steering Committee

1998–2001 2001–2002 2002–2004 2005–2008

November 2000

Surrey Hills Steering Committee forms, and starts seeking pledges to establish a Community Bank®

July 2001

Canterbury Steering Committee forms, and starts seeking pledges to establish a Community Bank®

August 2001

Commonwealth Bank closes its branch on Maling Road, Canterbury

February 2002

The Surrey Hills and Canterbury steering committees merge (at the request of Bendigo Bank)

May 2002

Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited (CASH Group) prospectus is issued

Dick Menting is appointed Chairman of the board; David Orford is appointed Deputy Chairman

August 2003

The Hon. Steve Bracks MP (Premier of Victoria) opens the Canterbury Community Bank® Branch

January 2004

CASH Group makes its first financial contributions back to the community

October 2004

CASH Group breaks even on a cash flow basis

April 2008

Feasibility study is prepared for the Ashburton Community Bank® Branch

July 2008

CASH Group listed on the Bendigo Stock Exchange

Boroondara Youth Foundation established October 2008

The Hon. John Brumby MP (Premier of Victoria) opens the Ashburton Community Bank® Branch

June 2011

CASH Group records over $323 million in total business

November 2011

Rob Hunt (CEO, Bendigo Bank) opens the Balwyn Community Bank® Branch

July 2017

Gary Johnson is appointed as a second Mobile Relationship Manager

June 2017

CASH Group records over $670 million in total business

2008–2011 2011–2013 2016–2017 2017–2018

July 2009

Nick Coker is appointed Senior Manager 2010 CASH Group forms the Balwyn Steering Committee

2011

Feasibility study is prepared for the Balwyn Community Bank® Branch

June 2013

CASH Group records almost $450 million in total business

Dick Menting is appointed as the company’s first Chief Executive Officer

Juliann Byron is appointed as Chairman of the board

January 2016

Nick Azar is appointed as a Mobile Relationship Manager

March 2016

Anna Gration is appointed as the Marketing Manager

June 2018

CASH Group records $728 million in total business and returns more than $5.6million to the local community

Bringing back local banking services

For the CASH Group’s founding Directors, establishing Community Bank® branches was about bringing banking services back to local shopping strips, at least initially.

“I had a constant stream of people coming into my family’s real estate office, and they were angry about another bank closing on our shopping strip [Union Road, Surrey Hills].”

Damien Hudson, Director

“I’d been concerned about bank closures since 1998, when the Commonwealth Bank closed its branch in Hartwell. To me, it was very important that people have access to services like banking, especially elderly people and families with young children.”

Bob Stensholt, Board Deputy Chairman

“David from the garage contacted me in 2001 when the Commonwealth Bank announced it was going to close its Maling Road branch. He was concerned about what would happen to Maling Road without a bank.”

Dick Menting, Director (former Board Chairman)

Bank branch closures were a common occurrence during the 1990s and 2000s, as banks rolled out automatic teller machines, phone banking and then eventually Internet banking. As founding Director Bruce Chisholm explained, “These closures weren’t just happening in rural and regional areas; many metropolitan communities were also left without local banking services.”

These metropolitan communities included Surrey Hills and Canterbury, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. Traders were concerned that bank closures would undermine the viability of local shopping strips. The businesses themselves needed easy access to banking services; and they were concerned that without a local bank, fewer people would visit local shops, resulting in fewer customers and falling trade.

“Our surveys showed supporters were angry at the arrogance of the big banks and their tendency not to listen to their customers,” recalled Bruce.

Surrey Hills was affected first, when the Commonwealth Bank announced it would close its Union Road branch in 2000. A group of concerned citizens met at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre, and formed a steering committee to examine options for restoring local banking services.

“My primary concern was getting banking services back on Union Road. People were worried about strip shopping and how it would last without a bank. We wanted to ensure the viability of the Union Road shopping strip,” said Damien Hudson (Director).

The committee considered several options when it first formed. Initially, the committee tried to keep the Commonwealth Bank branch open on Union Road. “I stood outside in the drizzle the day after the Commonwealth Bank announced it was closing the branch, collecting signatures to keep it open,” remembered Bob Stensholt (Board Deputy Chairman). Unfortunately, the petition didn’t work. “The Commonwealth Bank told us it wasn’t that the Surrey Hills branch wasn’t profitable, it just wasn’t profitable enough,” explained Damien.

Once it was clear the Commonwealth Bank was not going to reverse its decision, the committee considered other options. “We considered a credit union model, but there was no clear path to success. It wasn’t clear who would own the company and how it would operate,” said Damien.

By contrast, the Bendigo Bank Community Bank® model was a clear alternative. Bendigo Bank had an operational model for Community Bank® branches and a clear process for establishing the branches. There was also a lot of media about community banking at the time. According to Damien, it was the obvious choice.

Just 8 months later, the traders on Maling Road in Canterbury were in the same position as those on Union Road. The Commonwealth Bank announced it would close its Maling Road branch in August 2001. Again, people tried to convince the Commonwealth Bank to keep the branch open, but to no avail.

“I started another petition, with help from Dick [Menting] and Bruce [Chisholm],” said Bob. “We collected some 3,500 signatures and sent them to David Murray [then Commonwealth Bank CEO] in Sydney. But it didn’t work.”

Above: The Surrey Hills Committee mobilised community action.

The mock funeral on Maling Road

More than 150 people turned out for a mock funeral on Maling Road, when the Commonwealth Bank closed its branch in August 2001.

“We’re here to mourn the passing of the bank, not to honour it,” said Bob Stensholt, at the time. “The community is sad and angry. This hurts the elderly and ignores the disabled. We need to do everything we can to replace it with a bank owned and run by the community.”

A coffin was taken away in a hearse, followed down Maling Road by protestors holding placards and wearing black arm bounds.

Above: The Canterbury community rallied when another bank closed.

So, local community members formed another steering committee. Dick Menting, who chaired the Canterbury Steering Committee, was involved in establishing the Warburton Community Bank® Branch, so he knew what was involved in setting up a Community Bank® branch.

Both steering committees continued their efforts, attracting supporters and obtaining pledges, which indicated the level of community support for each branch. Each committee had to demonstrate it could attract pledges from 300–400 people, and raise around $550,000. Tables manned by steering committee members were a common sight on both Union Road and Maling Road. “Both committees established rosters for people to man card tables,” explained Bruce. “There was usually one on Union Road and one on Maling Road. But we also targeted events like school fairs, sausage sizzles at elections, etc.” Dick Menting was a common face, over the years manning tables from Canterbury to Hawthorn.

Once they reached their pledge amounts, each committee also commissioned an independent feasibility study. The steering committees had to raise the money for these feasibility studies. The money was returned if the feasibility studies were successful. However, if the feasibility studies failed, the steering committees lost that money. Luckily, these feasibility studies indicated sufficient banking business for full Community Bank® branches in both Surrey Hills and Canterbury.

The traders and businesses are acutely aware of the additional cost of now having to travel to Balwyn or Camberwell to do their banking.”

Dick Menting, Director

Left: Melanie Price helps deliver the Community Bank® surveys.

Being involved in community banking is a big time commitment. But the local community put $1.1 million of trust in us when we started the CASH Group. That’s a huge amount of skin in the game. It’s a privilege to protect and grow that investment.”

Damien Hudson, Director

LEFT: The CASH Group released a single prospectus for the Surrey Hills and Canterbury branches, and then separate prospectuses for Ashburton and Balwyn.

What is a Community Bank®?

Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited is a partnership between our community and Bendigo Bank. We have a franchise to operate each branch, which means we control the capital in our community and keep the profits in our local area.

We oversee the branch, and control operational decisions such as opening hours, staffing levels, the services offered and how profits are distributed. Bendigo Bank provides the banking infrastructure and support, covers the credit risk and provides deposit protection. As part of this partnership, we share the revenue on banking business with Bendigo Bank.

Importantly, CASH is also a partnership with the community. The ‘Community’ in ‘Community Bank®’ is not just a name. Community members have been involved from the start, and community members are still the driving force behind our success:

y Each branch started with a steering committee, comprising committed members of our community. Close to 70 people have been involved in establishing community banking in our area, including the people involved in the West Hawthorn campaign (see p. 68 for the list of steering committee members).

y Community members had to pledge financial support in terms of business for each branch, and reach minimum numbers both in dollar value and the number of supporters before we could proceed to the next stage—conducting an independent feasibility study.

y If the feasibility study showed a branch was viable, the community then had to purchase share subscriptions, to provide the start up capital for each branch.

y Our company is led by a board of Directors, made up of committed members of our community. They live locally, many of them work locally, and they’re all involved in supporting local community groups. Over the past 15 years, 31 people from our community have given their time and energy to make CASH successful (see p. 62 for the list of board members).

y Our local community is where we draw our business—the residents who have home loans and deposits, the local traders who use our business banking services, the community groups (sporting clubs, welfare organisations, community groups, schools and early childhood providers) who bank with us. When our Surrey Hills branch opened in 2003, the company had around 325 customers; we now have 9,355 customers spread across four branches.

y Our local community is also where we invest around 60 per cent of our profits.

y We create employment in our local area, contributing to continued economic growth. Many of our employees live locally, which means they also spend locally.

The idea for the steering committees to merge came from Bendigo Bank. Because the branches were only 1.5 km apart, it was concerned that competition for customers may undermine the viability of one of the branches. Not surprisingly, both committees were originally a little reluctant. Damien Hudson and Bruce Chisholm explained this reluctance:

“The power of community banking is parochialism.” Damien Hudson, Director “Parochialsm is one of the strengths of community banking. But it can also be a weakness and sometimes it can get in the way. ” Bruce Chisholm, Director Both committees were concerned about how their supporters would feel about the merger. “We asked the residents of Canterbury and Surrey Hills and surrounding areas to pledge funds for separate companies. We wanted to find out if any residents would object to the two committees merging,” explained Dick.

After a couple of months of consideration, the committees merged in early 2002 and released a prospectus for Canterbury Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited in March 2002. The board consisted of 12 Directors, six from each steering committee:

Dick Menting (Chairman)

Colin Fulton

Heather Brown

Catherine Charles

Bruce Chisholm

Russell Wittick

The company raised $1.1 million in capital from the initial share offer.

The Surrey Hills Community Bank® Branch was opened on Friday 28 February 2003, by the Hon. John Lenders MP (the Victorian Government’s Finance Minister at the time). A local Surrey Hills resident—Grace Smith—helped cut the ribbon:

“Anytime we needed something done to set up the bank, Grace Smith was there to help,” said Damien. “She delivered so many flyers, questionnaires and feasibility surveys around Surrey Hills. When we were opening the branch, I told her I needed her help with a little job. She thought I meant helping with cups of tea, or something like that. She was very surprised when I handed her a pair of scissors and told her that the job was to cut the ribbon.”

The Canterbury Community Bank® Branch opened around five months later, on Friday 8 August. Then Victorian Premier, the Hon. Steve Bracks MP opened the branch. The next day, the community celebrated with a street festival.

David Orford (Deputy Chairman)

Gary Dowel

Damien Hudson

Andy McKay

Ann Price

Bob Stensholt

Hills

Hills

Hills

Hills

Hills

Hills

The founding Directors agreed the group coalesced very well once the decision to merge was made. “At the end of the day, we all wanted to offer an old fashioned banking service—where our staff have relationships with customers. A place where you’re a person, not just a number,” said Damien.

The convenience of having a bank branch in Maling Road again is a great asset for the local traders. When the Community Bank® branch opened, we decided to transfer our banking over to them. We have been more than happy with the facilities they offer, and find the staff to be efficient, friendly and courteous. We thank them for the personal attention we receive and professional service.”

D H Bradshaw, Canterbury

Surrey Hills Community Finance Limited Newsletter, Summer 2004/05

Left: Grace Smith opens an account at our Surrey Hills branch.

Left: Then Premier Steve Bracks opens our Canterbury branch.

Finding suitable branch sites

Under the franchise agreement with Bendigo Bank, franchisees are responsible for finding suitable premises to operate as bank branches. Sometimes, that’s not as simple as it sounds, because the buildings used as bank branches have some strict structural requirements.

Luckily, the CASH Group quickly secured the former Commonwealth Bank branch site on Union Road for the Surrey Hills branch. Finding a site for the Canterbury branch was not so easy.

Initially, the company negotiated to secure the former Commonwealth Bank site on Maling Road. However, negotiations with the building’s owner were very difficult, so the board abandoned this site.

The company also considered a site on Canterbury Road, but in the end, agreed on the current site with Australia Post (who owned the site at the time). Tim Warmington, who owns Tim’s Bookshop, agreed to subdivide his shop.

Top, Right: We used the former Commonwealth Bank site on Union Road (top) and part of the old Post Office on Maling Road (right).

Expanding the business

Once opened, the Surrey Hills and Canterbury Community Bank® branches flourished. Much of this early success is attributed to the company’s first Business Development Manager, Michael Petering. Michael joined the company in August 2002, and immediately got down to business.

“I was keen to get back to local branch banking, and the idea of a start up opportunity really interested me. I knew very little of the Bendigo Bank Community Bank® model, so the community aspect was news to me when I sat down at the interview,” explained Michael.

“I had to build a portfolio from scratch. Starting with an empty briefcase scenario was completely new to me and, frankly, refreshing,” said Michael. “We were a small team, and we started with little or no knowledge about Bendigo Bank systems or processes, but we soon worked it out.”

Building relationships with the locals was the key to Michael’s success. He visited all the traders and businesses in Union Road and Maling Road to discuss their banking needs, and targeted opportunities for new home loans and business loans. He did the same with shareholders. And he offered incentives for people to switch their banking to the new company—waiving establishment fees, valuation fees, solicitor costs and settlement fees for anyone establishing a new loan or transferring an existing loan before the Surrey Hills branch opened.

I started with the company before either of the branches opened, so I didn’t have an office for the first 6 months. But I had a car, a boot full of application forms and a seat at Dick Menting’s dining table. Fun times, that’s for sure.”

Michael Petering, former Business Development Manager

According to Michael, having local shareholders who were passionate about the success of their local community bank was instrumental in gaining early traction and success. “In the early days, people would walk down the road, open the door and yell ‘It’s great to have you guys here’. Dealing with those local shareholders was exciting,” recalled Michael.

Newspaper stories at the time reported Michael attracted more than $3 million in banking business by November 2002 (‘New bank closer’, Progress Leader, 11 November 2002). “Michael established a really strong lending book, and lending is so critical to a bank’s success,” explained Dick Menting (Director). “Deposits might stay with a bank for 1–2 years, but lending tends to stay much longer— between 7 and 10 years on average. And many of those original customers are still banking with us.”

Over the next few years, the board and the staff concentrated on steadying the branches, growing banking business and making the company profitable. In 2006, the company announced its first annual profit and paid shareholders their first dividend. “It’s only a minimal dividend, but it’s proof we are on the right track,” said Dick Menting (Director and Board Chairman at the time).

The board was very involved in both building banking business and engaging with the community. “In those early years, we connected with many of the community organisations that we still have strong relationships with today,” recalled Juliann Byron (Board Chairman). “Board members were vital for telling the community banking story.”

The board’s composition changed quite significantly in the company’s first four years, with new members filling vacancies created when founding Directors left the board. After more than three years with the company, Michael Petering also moved on in 2006. Darren Roche was the company’s next Business Development Manager, followed by Anthony Yeates.

It took some to develop a strong financial basis for the Surrey Hills and Canterbury branches, but once it had, the board turned its attention to expanding the business. You see, it had bigger ambitions than just two Community Bank® branches.

The first target was Ashburton. Around the same time as the Surrey Hills and Canterbury steering committees were established, a third campaign for a community bank was running in Ashwood. Bob Stensholt and Andy McKay were also involved in these efforts to establish this community bank. The proposal proceeded to feasibility stage, but Bendigo Bank did not support plans to open a standalone branch. Rather, it suggested opening a subbranch, which the CASH Group would operate.

“We considered establishing a sub-branch in the chemist shop on the corner of Warrigal Road and High Street Road,” explained Bob Stensholt (Board Deputy Chairman). “But then the chemist shop changed hands and the new owner wasn’t interested. The Ashwood committee lost momentum, and we were busy with Surrey Hills and Canterbury.”

Watching the company grow

The long awaited opening of the Surrey Hills Community Bank® was celebrated by over 300 people on the last day of February. … All involved in the undertaking to open the bank were overjoyed to see their efforts come to fruition …

‘The bank is back in town’, Surrey Hills Neighbourhood News, no. 123, April/May 2003

“In only four months, the Surrey Hills branch has already attained nearly $14 million worth of business and is well ahead of its target. Even Canterbury, which is not in full operation, has already achieved more than $3 million in business.” Dick Menting,

Canterbury Community Bank opens’, Surrey Hills Neighbourhood News, no. 125, August/September 2003

Colleen Gilbert at OfficeSpot says that many Surrey Hills businesses were now doing their banking locally. “This has definitely increased foot traffic, particularly at lunch time, which is great news for the Union Road eateries.”

‘The Community Bank boosts local shopping’, Surrey Hills Neighbourhood News, no. 124, June/July 2003

[Damien Hudson] said traders near the bank had reported a boost in turnover of up to 15 per cent since the branches opened, as well as efficiencies achieved from less travel to banks. Chairman Dick Menting said the continuing growth showed the community had ‘embraced the return of friendly and convenient branch banking to the area’.

‘Community banks are flourishing’, Progress Leader, 3 November 2003

“The bank currently has just over $27 million worth of business with more than 1,000 clients,” Mr Menting said. “We believe that we can reach $30 million by our birthday—and that is what we are aiming for.”

‘A birthday to bank on’, Progress Leader, 16 February 2004

After two years in business, the Surrey Hills and Canterbury community banks have opened more than 3,000 accounts and the branches’ cash flow has entered the black. … The Surrey Hills Community Bank® had opened more than 1,800 accounts and generated about $45 million worth of business since opening its doors two years ago. … The Canterbury branch, which opened in August 2003, had generated about $35 million of banking business and opened more than 1,400 accounts.

‘Banks in the black’, Progress Leader, 12 April 2005

The people of Surrey Hills and Canterbury have enthusiastically supported their Community Bank® branches. The company, founded by the community, has achieved $100 million of banking business since opening the two branches in 2003. The milestone of 4,000 accounts has also been exceeded.

‘$100 million milestone’, Surrey Hills Neighbourhood News, no. 138, October/November 2005

The community based financial institution’s 2005–06 annual report will show both bank branches made profits.

‘Bank moves into profit’, Progress Leader, 4 July 2006

But the desire for a bank in the area didn’t die. The CASH Group was interested in establishing a branch in Ashburton. Not because the area lacked banking services—Ashburton had the four major banks operating on High Street. Rather, the board was interested in supporting the many community groups in the area, such as the Craig Family Centre and Samarinda Ashburton Aged Services.

“This was the first time in the suburbs of Melbourne that a Community Bank® was proposed for primarily delivering benefits back to the community, rather than banking provision as a driver,” said Gordon McFarlane, former Director. “The plan was to grow the company and the returns to the community.”

The CASH Group board established a steering committee in July 2007, formed from community members. Gordon McFarlane chaired the Ashburton Steering Committee, before later joining the board and becoming the company’s Treasurer. Because it was supported by the CASH Group, the new Ashburton branch did not have to raise so much money in pledges—$250,000, not the $550,000 needed for Surrey Hills and Canterbury.

Our company has been the first Community Bank® company to prove that Bendigo Bank Community Bank® branches can compete with all majors present in a metropolitan area.”

Left: John Brumby (then Premier) and Robert Johannson (Bendigo & Adelaide Bank Chairman) opened our Ashburton branch.

After 15 months of solid community effort (including manned card tables, of course), the Ashburton Community Bank® Branch was opened on Wednesday 22 October 2008 by then Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Brumby MP. The branch recorded its first profitable month some 21 months later in July 2010. This achievement was no mean feat for two reasons. The first was the global financial crisis:

“This exciting development [opening the Ashburton branch] happened within the same week that the world experienced the first labour pains of what we all refer to now as the global financial crisis. We witnessed the turmoil of the global economic market as sharemarkets tumbled and the bubble burst,” Nick

Coker, Senior Manager.

The second was Bendigo Bank changing its revenue sharing model with Community Bank® companies, reducing the flow of income from products such as loans.

Despite these challenges, the board didn’t stop with Ashburton. The Ashburton branch covered the southern parts of Boroondara, but the board was keen to cover the northern parts of Boroondara.

“We were building relationships with organisations based around Balwyn— around 20 community groups and sporting clubs—which indicated they

were willing to switch their banking to us. But our branches in Surrey Hills, Canterbury and Ashburton were not convenient, especially the lack of parking on Union Road and Maling Road,” explained Dick. “The solution was to provide them a shopfront in Balwyn.”

So the company went through the process again: establishing a steering committee, obtaining pledges (again, it didn’t need to raise as much money, because the Balwyn branch would be backed by the existing branches), conducting the feasibility study, getting approval from Bendigo Bank and then finding suitable premises. “Out came the card tables again, and the rosters for steering committee members and board members to man the tables over our weekends,” remembered Juliann.

“The process for Balwyn was actually very quick. We received great support from our sponsored organisations in Balwyn, as well as the board and the steering committee. The main delay to opening the branch was finding a good location,” said Dick.

Rob Hunt, Bendigo Bank CEO and the founder of community banking, opened the Balwyn branch on Friday 18 November 2011.

Above: The community helped us celebrate our Balwyn branch opening.

After Balwyn, the company considered a fifth branch. In 2012, the company’s success—growing banking business and opening branches—attracted the attention of a group of local residents who wanted to establish a branch near the corner of Burwood Road and Power Street in Hawthorn.

“We joined with the Hawthorn Steering Committee, and with our assistance the campaign gathered pace. We started attracting business, which added to our revenues,” said Dick. “At the time, we considered greater scale through new branches would increase our sustainability and our long term impact on the community,” added Juliann.

The hard work of the board and the steering committee continued for several years, but by the end of 2015 it was obvious that the Hawthorn branch would not proceed. “Bendigo Bank decided it would not support another branch,” said Juliann. “We recognised the changes the banking industry was facing, particularly customers’ use of bank branches, and we challenged Bendigo Bank to think differently about its retail service offering. We wanted to develop an alternative to the traditional bank branch that could provide the services local Hawthorn people and businesses needed. It was sad that we were not able to proceed to the intended conclusion.”

The company’s efforts to expand the business by opening more branches ended there, but not its efforts to keep growing and supporting the community.

… I learnt a lot about the true value of a community as I grew up. … I learnt about the creativity and innovativeness of communities where everyone is pulling together. A lot of the solutions available in the future have to come from within; they have to come from the community getting organised.”

Rob Hunt, ‘A bank Director becomes regional messiah’, The Age, 1 October 2002

Above: Gerard Whateley, Neale Daniher AM and David Parkin speak at a Business Breakfast.

The company’s current position

The CASH Group is Australia’s largest Community Bank® company, in terms of footings. It currently has $728 million in lending and deposits. The board’s targets for 2017–18 were to increase lending by $71 million and increase deposits by $16 million.

“The targets the board sets are always greater than what Bendigo Bank wants to achieve. Sometimes, they’re a stretch, but I enjoy the challenge,” said Nick Coker (Senior Manager). “The board wants to grow the company, so that it can hand back more to the community and make a real difference in the community.”

$4.1 M $62K

2003

$3.7M $3.4 M

2018 $391K $708K $930K $1.7M $2.1 M $2.7M $3.1 M

Revenue growth

Return to shareholders

Total $1,161,549

When the Ashburton and Balwyn branches opened the company shares were revalued. Existing Shareholders were issued with bonus shares as follows:

cents per share 2017

cents per share $185,082 2007

cents per share $154,235

cents per share $185,082 $154,235 $21,841

5 $154,235

6 cents per share 2 cents per share $155,452

Canterbury Community Bank® Branch

Above: Every year, Maling Road closes for the Kris Kindl festival, a long standing community event to welcome the festive season. There is always plenty of food and rides, and musical acts to sing and dance along with.

Above: At our Canterbury branch, you’ll find Shuro Shome (Branch Manager) and Lachlan Quirk. They are joined by Anna Gration (Marketing Manager) and Nick Coker (Senior Manager).

Above: The Canterbury Football Club used sponsorship to establish a female football team. We also recently funded an electronic scoreboard at the reserve used by both Canterbury Football Club and the Canterbury Cricket Club.

Above: Our Canterbury Community Bank® Branch helped BASSCare provide synthetic golf and bowls for residents at Faversham House in Canterbury.

Ashburton Community Bank® Branch

Above: Every year, our Ashburton Community Bank® Branch supports The Edge Community Fund’s Easter raffle. The Edge uses the funds to support youth in our local area.

Above: At our Ashburton branch, you’ll find James Fernandes, Olivia Chen, Gary Johnson (Mobile Relationship Manager), Evelyn Butler and Kathy Koulouris (Branch Manager).

Above: We helped Camcare deliver its ‘Inspiring Warriors’ program that teaches emotional regulation and resilience, being run at Parkhill Primary School.

Above: The Ashburton Village Festival celebrates the vibrant High Street shopping strip and the summer sunshine. The Ashburton Community Bank® Branch is a major sponsor of this yearly community building event.

Surrey Hills Community Bank® Branch

Above: The Surrey Hills Music Festival is the premier community music event in the area and our Surrey Hills Community Bank® Branch is a proud sponsor. Workshops, food, dance and community spirit combine to create this inclusive, engaging festival right in the heart of Surrey Hills.

Above:

Hockey Club redeveloped its home ground at Elgar Park, with some help from our Surrey Hills Community Bank® Branch. More than 40 teams play from junior levels through to the Premier League.

Above: Our Surrey Hills Community Bank® has had a long relationship with the Hawthorn Amateur Football Club, providing funds to assist the introduction of female football teams, training programs and equipment purchases.

Above: At our Surrey Hills branch, you’ll find Emily Wellesley-Winter, Gary Johnson (Mobile Relationship Manager), Chloe Thomas, Maggie Stamoulis (Branch Manager), Helen Seargent, Linda Pillay and Tegan Paul.

The KBH Brumbies

Balwyn Community Bank® Branch

Above: Our good friends over at the Evergreen Centre have been enjoying the new bus we helped them purchase. They now have safe and private access to all the adventures they organise for the active senior citizens at the centre.

Above: Every year, the Rotary Club of Balwyn hosts a special day for children with a disability and their families at the Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway. Our Balwyn Community Bank® Branch has contributed to this special day for many years.

Above: The Learning for Life Autism Centre in Balwyn helps children with autism to reach their full potential, with support from our Balwyn Community Bank® Branch.

Above: At our Balwyn branch, you’ll find Dolly Li, Kamna Madan, Dot Tamburrini, Adam Osmani (Branch Manager), Pamela Annells and Madeleine Smith.

Having the right people

An innovative and forward thinking board

“The CASH Group has a very professional board and a strong skill mix of professionals, which has helped us grow the company,” according to Juliann Byron (Board Chairman). This has always been the case. Bruce Chisholm (former Director) recalled some disagreements with Bendigo Bank at the start of the process: “Bendigo Bank had its process for establishing a Community Bank®, but we didn’t necessarily agree with some of the arrangements. I think it reflected the background and experience of the people on our steering committees and then our board.”

Damien Hudson (Director) agreed. “Our board has always been fairly sophisticated. We’ve always had lots of well educated people with relevant skills and strong opinions about how to do things. We put a lot of effort into preparing a prospectus, to maximise community engagement.”

A network of strong and viable branches throughout the community certainly explains part of the company’s success. But those branches don’t establish themselves or run themselves—people do. The board is one group of people behind the company’s success. Another group of people is the staff.

The passion and enthusiasm from the board was a real bonus as a banker. It was so good to work for local people who were so passionate about their community, and volunteering their time to make a genuine difference in their community. It’s part of the job I loved.”

Michael Petering, former Business Development Manager

The board has a skills matrix, and recruits board members to address any shortages. “It’s always been important that the board members have the experience or skills that the company needed,” explained Juliann. “Our approach is to appoint prospective board members to committees first. It allows people to see the CASH Group in operation, and understand what we do and how we do it. And it means we get to know people and see whether they fit with the company and what we stand for.”

It’s true to say that not all Directors really understand the ‘community’ aspect of community banking when they first get involved with the company. “I didn’t really understand the community aspect at the beginning,” confessed Juliann. “My family has a business on Maling Road, so I was interested because I wanted a bank on Maling Road. It wasn’t until I started talking with Dick [Menting] that it made sense to get involved with the community.”

But according to Dick Menting (Director), the community aspect is something that Directors pick up pretty quickly.

Professional and committed staff

“Our staff are the professional face of the company. I am constantly impressed by them and their contribution to the community,” said Juliann.

Overseeing daily operations is CASH Group Senior Manager, Nick Coker, who joined the company in July 2009. He was already working with Bendigo Bank, running a business banking centre in eastern Melbourne. Part of his job was organising business banking for Community Bank® branches in the area. Nick’s strong leadership has been essential to the company’s success. He brings to the company a depth of experience, and his preparedness to attend many community group functions, both by himself and with Directors.

“I loved the local factor of community banking. When the Senior Manager role with the CASH Group became available in 2009, I saw it as an opportunity to move into community banking. I wanted a role that was more about building relationships with customers,” said Nick.

The other frontline staff are the four branch managers, the two Mobile Relationship Managers and 18 Customer Relationship Managers and Officers.

Nick and the board have worked very hard to create a ‘one team’ culture across the four branches. Staff can move between the branches, so they have opportunities for advancement that are not available at single branch companies.

Nick considers himself lucky to have a board that is always considering the strategic objectives and driving change, and looking for ways to meet customers’ needs. “We know that people are time poor, and less inclined to visit a branch, so the company employed a Mobile Relationship Manager. Now we have two,” said Nick. “Likewise, we have some multilingual staff, recognising our diverse customer mix. The board immediately saw the value that these staff create for our customers. Rather than ask why would we have staff who can speak more than one language, their question was why not?”

Above: Some of the current Directors and staff helping keep our business strong.

Behind the scenes, the company also bolstered its capacity. Dick Menting stepped down from his role as Board Chairman and was appointed as the company’s first Chief Executive Officer in 2013, to support the board. At the same time, Juliann took on the role of Chairman. Dick was very active in the community, and spent much of his time building relationships with sponsored organisations. Bob Stensholt was also very involved, managing the marketing and sponsorship activities for several years. However, when Dick retired and Bob returned to full time work, the board took a different approach and appointed a Marketing Manager, Anna Gration.

“The size of the Community Investment Program and the number of community groups we dealt with had grown enormously. After Dick retired and Bob’s work commitments grew, board members (with support from managers) found it difficult to engage effectively with our community,” said Juliann. Anna helps manage the Community Investment Program and strengthen relationships with the community groups and organisations the company supports.

The board is supported by a Company Secretary and Treasurer. Michael Sapountzis has been the Company Secretary since 2016 and Ian Dinnison is the current Treasurer.

Above: Our board members and staff are driving our success.

Supporting our community

“Banking, generally, is about making money for shareholders. The CASH Group takes a more grass roots approach. We see our relationships with customers and sponsored organisations as partnerships,” said Nick Coker, Senior Manager. “We have business goals, certainly. But we also have social goals, and we see these as mutually reinforcing. Growing our business means we have money available to help the community. And just as importantly, helping the community is how we grow our business. It’s our point of difference in a crowded banking space.”

The CASH Group distributed its first community payments in early 2004. The early contributions were very modest—by April 2006 (around three years after the Surrey Hills branch opened), the company had returned $15,000 to the community.

“Seeing real outcomes in the local community, albeit small ones, was very rewarding. Those small amounts, along with the promise of more, was a great story, with people realising this model had great potential to have a significant impact locally,” recalled Michael Petering, former Business Development Manager.

But the program quickly gathered momentum. In the 12 months between June 2007 and June 2008, total contributions grew from $50,000 to $500,000. The figure reached $1 million in July 2010, and now exceeds $4 million.

Dick Menting, ‘$100 million milestone’, Surrey Hills Neighbourhood News, no. 138, October/November 2005

Every year, the CASH Group makes an extraordinary contribution to community projects, programs, sporting clubs, disability services, aged care, welfare, schools and early childhood services. Indeed, the CASH Group returns 60 per cent of its profits back to the community, via the Community Investment Program.

It is so much more than simply handing out money through sponsorships and grants though. It’s about building relationships to build strong and prosperous communities.

Initially, the organisations that received sponsorships were largely ones with connections to company Directors, such as cricket clubs, football clubs, neighbourhood centres, scout groups and schools.

Over time, the company looked to build relationships with a broader range of organisations, and to establish some signature projects, which would build the company’s profile. The first of these signature projects were:

y Redeveloping the Lynden Park clubrooms (used by the Camberwell Sharks Junior Football Club and the Burwood Uniting Canterbury Cricket Club).

y Funding a new scoreboard at the Camberwell Sports Ground (used by Old Scotch Football Club and Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club).

We need to continue to concentrate on increasing business levels, as through this the bank will be able to establish a significant and powerful grant scheme to redistribute bank profit to the local area, particularly helping not-for-profit organisations who improve the area in which we live. As always, this relies on the support of the local community by using the branches. Our customers can be assured that their decision to bank with us directly benefits the local area.

Cumulative community contribution payments

I think the CASH Group is a social enterprise. We invest 60 per cent of our profit back into the community.”

Daizy Maan, Director

Getting noticed in the community

A challenge for the company from the beginning has been getting the community to notice what it’s doing. “We really need ways to ensure the community is aware of what the CASH Group can provide,” said Juliann Byron “We’re good at generating this recognition internally, but we need to get our stories noticed externally.”

One option is major sponsorship projects, such as the Lynden Park and Camberwell Sports Ground redevelopments.

Building a new community resource

“Redeveloping the pavilion at Lynden Park was our first big example of leveraging a significant community project,” said Bob Stensholt (Board Deputy Chairman). “Dick [Menting] and I spoke with Vince Haining (Director Infrastructure, City of Boroondara), to get council support.”

The CASH Group distributed around $110,000 between Lynden Park’s tenants—the Burwood Uniting Canterbury Cricket Club (summer tenant) and the Camberwell Sharks Junior Football Club (winter tenant). The council provided the rest of the funding.

.

Putting a ton on the scoreboard

In February 2006, the CASH Group announced it would provide $100,000 to build an electronic scoreboard at the Camberwell Sports Ground.

“With its significantly improved financial position, the Community Bank® is making the important and long awaited transition from smaller support to substantial and powerful community assistance,” said Leigh Smith (Director) at the time.

The company signed 10 year agreements with the grounds’ tenant clubs— the Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club (summer tenant) and the Old Scotch Football Club (winter tenant). Under the agreements, the company agreed to fund the scoreboard, while the tenant clubs pledged to acknowledge the CASH Group’s contribution, via advertising, and by the clubs and their members banking with the company.

Old Scotch Football Club President at the time, Tim Shearer, had this to say:

“Each party has made a long term commitment to each other. The Community Banks are making a long term commitment to the tenant clubs … and the tenant clubs have made a 10 year sponsorship pledge to the Community Bank®. The Old Scotch Football Club is genuinely delighted to be working with the Community Bank® who have a wonderful sense of community spirit and understand the great work that local sporting clubs do for the community at large.”

Some 12 years later, the CASH Group will fund a new scoreboard for Camberwell Sports Ground.

Andrew Whittaker, Director and Chair of the Community Investment and Marketing Committee explained why: “We have a long standing and strong relationship with the Old Scotch Football Club and Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club, both tenants of the Camberwell Sports Ground. Our partnership has been mutually beneficial with members and supporters of both clubs choosing to bank with our branches and we have been able to provide funding to support their projects”.

Right: The Camberwell Sports Ground scoreboard was another large community investment.

According to Nick, keeping a community organisation engaged comes down to its committee. “We really need advocates within each group— people who lead by example, by switching their banking to a CASH Group branch, for example,” he said. “Much of our efforts with sponsored organisations is to establish and foster relationships with these advocates.”

The board sees two kinds of success when it comes to sponsorships.

The first success is when sponsorships lead to business growth. This kind of relationship often happens with sporting clubs, especially those with big membership bases. The company has identified a number organisations that it has really good relationships with, and is focusing on getting staff out to meet with these groups, to keep those relationships going.

The second success is when sponsorship has a big impact on the recipients. The buses for Belmore Special School, Alkira, Samarinda, Burke and Beyond etc. are good examples. “These buses make such a difference to the lives of the people who use them,” said Nick. “It’s a thrill to see children with disabilities have opportunities to go on excursions, for example. It’s something they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. Sometimes these sponsorships don’t generate much direct business for the CASH Group; they are just the right thing to do.”

“The board recognises that forging strong ties with sponsored organisations— be they sporting clubs, community groups, schools—is a business opportunity. But, we also need to support those organisations because they support those in need,” agreed Juliann Byron (Board Chairman).

“The company is looking for deeper engagement with the community,” said Juliann. “We’re always looking for ways to create new partnerships with local community groups, especially with the fall in face-to-face banking services. We need to ensure we can spread our message even though we have fewer opportunities to see people and explain how community banking works,” she explained.

The board has definite plans for the future. “For the past few years, we have been accumulating some funds for capital programs,” explained Juliann. “We know about a couple of projects, which if they proceed, give us an opportunity to be involved. This type of community commitment keeps us relevant to the community and our customers.”

“Community banks rely on a few dedicated people who spend time with sponsored organisations, developing relationships which then attract customers,” said Bob Stensholt. “The most successful relationships are still the ones where a Director or a manager is closely involved with the organisation. Increasingly, it’s our managers that are building these relationships—our Senior Manager Nick Coker, our business development managers Nick Azar and Gary Johnson and our Branch Managers Shuro Shome (Canterbury), Kathy Koulouris (Ashburton), Maggie Stamoulis (Surrey Hills) and Adam Osmani (Balwyn).”

It’s not always about the amount. It’s about the impact of that sponsorship. In the early days we gave the Ladies Probus Club of Surrey Hills around $100. They were so excited because it helped fund some of their activities.”

Damien Hudson, Director

Helping some of our community’s vulnerable people

Over the years, the CASH Group has helped many community welfare organisations, such as Burke and Beyond (for people with special needs), Samarinda Ashburton Aged Services (for elderly people), Camcare, the Belmore School (for children with special needs), Alkira (for people with special needs) and the Balwyn Evergreen Centre (for elderly people).

Burke and Beyond got involved with the CASH Group, via Dick Menting (then the Board Chairman).

“Dick Menting approached us, and asked if we would be interested in having the CASH Group sponsor us. Government funding doesn’t cover large capital expenses, so we rely on private funding. We accepted CASH’s offer and transferred our banking to the Community Bank® at the same time,” explained Bruno Cyr, Burke and Beyond’s CEO.

“With that initial $55,000 donation, we bought a vehicle for our Canterbury service. It meant we could take our clients, who have an intellectual disability, to various activities. Last year [2017], the CASH Group donated another $33,000, which we put towards another vehicle.”

Above: Children from St Paul’s Anglican Kindergarten in Canterbury are creating masterpieces for the kindergarten’s annual art show.

Mark Zentgraf (CEO, Samarinda Ashburton Aged Services) told a similar story.

“Samarinda Ashburton Aged Services has had great support from the CASH Group. Initially it was two buses—one for Samarinda Lodge and one for Ashburton Support Services. Just this year [2018], they approved $60,000 for a new bus with a wheelchair lift. The buses mean people can go on excursions, and be picked up and taken home from activities or lunches either at the Seniors Centre or at Elsie Salter House, our day program for those with memory loss,” said Mark.

“Samarinda began a relationship with the CASH Group and several of our committee members were on the Ashburton Steering Committee. Two of our CEOs have had home loans with Ashburton as well. One of them, Katrina, is in the CASH video saying ‘our home loan got Samarinda a bus’ (meaning her family home loan!),” he said.

“Samarinda has always sought funding and donations from many sources, but our relationship with the CASH Group is a community partnership that was very attractive. Each helps the other—very much in line with Samarinda’s motto ‘locals for locals’”.

Camcare is another local organisation with whom the company has a strong relationship. Camcare helps people in the community through times of adversity, such as unemployment, ill health, financial stress and hardship, relationship difficulties, homelessness and security issues. Its services include child, youth and family services, wellbeing and support services, information and practical assistance. In 2018, the CASH Group contributed $60,000 to help Camcare support vulnerable families in Boroondara via programs such as:

y Bouncing Back and Evolving program, for women affected by family violence.

y Emotionally Resilient and Connected Students (ERACS) program, which supports young people vulnerable to or showing signs of disengaging from school.

The company also helped Camcare to purchase a car that’s used by staff and volunteers.

“Support from our local Community Bank® branches means we can help some of Boroondara’s most vulnerable people,” said Jane Broadhead (CEO, Camcare). “Our Bouncing Back and Evolving program is a good example. Our aim is to help women affected by family violence to understand the effects of abuse on them and their children. We also want to help them identify and build on their strengths; help them to be more assertive and give them strategies to help in their long term recovery.”

A more recent relationship is with the Boroondara Cares Foundation. The CASH Group sponsors the CHANCES Scholarship Program, which helps talented and motivated young people to overcome barriers to educational success. The program aims to provide opportunities and support for young people who are experiencing financial disadvantage and social isolation. A recipient, Emelia, for example, has been cast to give a monologue as Anne Frank through her Arts Company. She couldn’t have done this without her CHANCES scholarship.

Above: We helped Camcare purchase a car, so that staff can visit some of Boroondara’s most vulnerable people.

Right: Our Community Investment Program is helping create a more inclusive community.

Supporting our community’s diversity Community support

This category includes aged care and seniors services, and welfare and disability support services.

organisations in the past 15 years

These groups fall into four main categories:

Community groups and events

This part of our Community Investment Program includes special interest groups, community and trader events, and our investment in youth programs.

The Boroondara Emergency Services Award recognises Emergency Services personnel who have given ‘Service Above Self’. We could not have proceeded with this award without the assistance of Bendigo [Community] Bank®. In a landscape which at times is barren of suitable sponsors, the Bendigo [Community] Bank® continues to be a reliable friend and partner.

Robert Lambert (Community Chair), Yarra Bend Rotary Club

The Bendigo [Community] Bank® has supported our community carols held in Canterbury Gardens for past 13 years. Their support has allowed us to improve each year with lighting, sound and promotion which also means we are able to attract more of the community each year.

Lyn Jerram (Secretary), Canterbury Council of Churches

With the [Community Bank®] contributions, more children have been supported by The Edge Community Fund, allowing them to attend school camps, receive assistance with school requirements and kinder fees, and attend sporting and other recreational activities that they otherwise miss out on.

Anne Bishop (Coodinator), The Edge Community Fund

Education

We support school and preschool events and functions, and fund purchases such as equipment and sporting goods. We fund a leadership program, volunteer awards and a financial inclusion program at Swinburne University. We also have several school banking programs.

Our local Bendigo [Community] Bank® is a big part of our community. We value their support and are thankful for the partnerships they provide, not only in our own school but across our community. We get offers from other financial institutions to join their school banking programs; however none stack up to the Bendigo [Community] Bank® in terms of commitment to our school and being a true community bank.

Travis Paterson (Acting Principal), Surrey Hills Primary School

The CASH Group has supported around 280 community

Sporting clubs

We support clubs that provide opportunities to all ages, gender and ability. In recent years, football and cricket clubs have received significant contributions to develop girls’ and women’s teams and programs. These large clubs also provide significant banking business support.

Without your contributions, our new club [Alamein Football Club] would have struggled to meet the minimum standards required by Football Federation Victoria. With your help, we have delivered excellent training and development programs to young women across a broad age group.

Jason Williams (Media Manager), Alamein Football Club and Ashburton United Soccer Club

Clubs like [Hawthorn Amateur Football Club] simply could not continue to exist without our partners’ support and we thrive on the mutual benefit the Community Bank® receives from HAFC players and members in exchange for Community Bank® support to HAFC. HAFC prides itself on providing exceptional support back to Community Bank®—especially via members’ home loans.

David Clancey (Committee), Hawthorn Amateur Football Club

Right: We’re helping many in our community, both old and young.

Total community contribution

$950,851 Community groups and events

$2,095,478 Sporting clubs

$1,128,484 Community support

$279,697 Education

$1,161,549 Shareholder dividends

$5,616,060 Total

Community groups and events

Sporting clubs

Community support

Focusing on youth

The CASH Group has always been very involved in supporting youth in the community. Just look at the number of youth-related organisations that receive support via the Community Investment Program—schools, early childhood services, university programs, junior sporting clubs, scout groups, and welfare support organisations for young people.

And the support is not just financial. Company Directors are also passionate about developing young leaders in our community. The company has three youth projects—the Boroondara Youth Foundation, the Business Boardroom Program and the Magic Moments Youth Leadership and Business Summit. It also has a Youth Advisory Committee, established in 2015.

“The board felt it needed a way to keep the youth we encounter from our programs engaged with the company,” explained Juliann Byron (Board Chairman). The board recognised the benefits would flow both ways.

“We have all this fantastic youth, and we wanted to embrace them,” said Juliann. “The committee gives them an opportunity to develop their skills as part of a public company committee. They advise the board and committees, presenting the youth perspective on company activities. They also drive the youth programs now—contacting schools, finding students to be involved in projects, etc.”

“The CASH Group gets the benefit of their feedback and ideas on how to better engage with young people,” added Juliann. “The Youth Advisory Committee helped the company improve its social media presence,” agreed Daizy Maan (Director and chair of the Youth Advisory Committee).

I wasn’t confident when I first joined the board, but now I’ve found my feet and my voice. It’s been an amazing learning experience for me, seeing how a publicly listed company operates. It’s very different from what I’m used to. I work in the world of startups, where everything happens so quickly. The CASH Group board is more measured. Everything has a process and I’m learning the value of those processes.”

Daizy Maan, Director

The Boroondara Youth Foundation was established in 2008, a joint venture between the Victorian Government at the time and the Bendigo Bank.

“The youth foundations were related to the Neighbourhood Renewal Program, which targeted areas of disadvantage. Ashburton was one of the targeted areas, because it has some large areas of disadvantage,” explained Bob Stensholt (Board Deputy Chairman). “The Bendigo Bank approached the

‘By youth, for youth’—Boroondara Youth Foundation

CASH Group to be involved, and we agreed. We had just opened our Ashburton branch, and the youth foundation seemed a good way of establishing the CASH Group’s presence in the area.”

The foundation provides grants of up to $1,500 to individuals and groups aged 14–25 years who have a ‘community focused’ idea. The grants committee is made up of young people, who decide on which applications will be funded. Under the original program, the Victorian Government funded a facilitator for the foundation, while the CASH Group contributed the funding for grants.

The Boroondara Youth Foundation effectively stopped when the government funding ended, but when Juliann became Chairman, she was keen to pursue the company’s youth programs. “The board agreed to support the foundation again, so we employed a new facilitator for the foundation. It is one of the few foundations that is still operating and is true to the ‘by youth, for youth’ mantra. Currently, the grants committee has young people from Box Hill High School, Ashwood High School, Camberwell High School, Auburn High School and Swinburne University,” said Juliann.

The CASH Group is very proud of how the foundation has helped young people in the community.

Helping young people help other young people

The Boroondara Youth Foundation has supported many and varied programs over the years:

y Refugee holiday program—Fifteen young people designed, planned and ran a holiday program for refugee families living in Melbourne (supported by the Heathgrove Study Centre and Friends of Refugees Melbourne). Local high school and university students volunteered their time to receive some training and then run the holiday program over two days.

y Ashwood High School ‘Wake Up Week’—Twenty student leaders at Ashwood High School implemented the week long event that focused on mental and physical wellbeing. The students ran activities, encouraged random acts of kindness and created fun spaces around the school to boost student morale, increase empathy and build resilience and relationships between staff and students. ‘Mindful Monday’, ‘Turn Up Tuesday’, ‘Wind Down Wednesday’, ‘Thoughtful Thursday’ and ‘Fit Friday’ provided opportunities for fun, connection and reflection.

y Autonomous Fire Ranger—Jonathan (a year 11 student from Bialik College) received a grant to develop his STEM project. The ranger combines unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones) and some complex software, to automate certain tasks and processes usually only possible by flying over an area. The device has huge potential in rural Victoria, where it can look for visual clues about bushfires. Jonathan is working with Swinburne University and the CFA to further develop his idea.

y Sustain Me—Eleanor Meyer and Stephen Halpin created a mobile app that explains exactly how to recycle waste, so less of it ends up in landfill. The inspiration came from wondering if it’s possible to recycle broken glass, or whether you can recycle different types of plastic.

y Crepes for Change—This social enterprise supports young people who are or are at risk of experiencing homelessness. Via its catering and food vans, the enterprise offers employment and training opportunities for young people experiencing homelessness. All profits also go towards eliminating youth homelessness.

y African drum night—“One of my favourite projects was an application from a 14 year old girl, who wanted to run an African drum and dance night in the community. She realised there weren’t enough community events for people from African backgrounds in our community,” said Daizy Maan (Director).

The foundation is also how Daizy Maan first became involved with the CASH Group. “Someone from the foundation came to my high school; they were looking for young people with ideas,” said Daizy. “I didn’t have any ideas, but I was drawn by the idea of empowering young people. Then right at the end, she said they were also looking for volunteers to assess applications, so I put up my hand.”

“Young people making decisions is very empowering. I learned some really important skills, about managing conflict of interest and the rules of good governance, and some hard lessons too. When you have a limited amount of money, some people will have to miss out. We had to look at the impact each project will have on the community, and only the ones with the most impact received money.”

Daizy rejoined the foundation when it was relaunched in 2013. “Seeing her enthusiasm for youth and social enterprise, we convinced her to join the board,” said Juliann.

‘An eye opening experience’— Business Boardroom Program

Each year, the CASH Group invites four students from local high schools to find out what’s it’s like to run a publicly listed company, as part of its Business Boardroom Program. The students are involved in a range of activities, such as attending two board meetings throughout the year, attending one committee meeting every month, and visiting Bendigo, to see how head office operates. The students usually come from the accounting/ economics/legal studies subject areas.

The program started in 2007, as the Junior Observers Program, with students sitting in on board meetings. “The idea came out of discussions with other Community Bank® companies at various conferences,” said Dick Menting (Director). “We were looking for ways to connect with younger people.”

Initially, the program ran for only one year, but then it was revived in 2013. Juliann explained why: “The program aligned with our new youth focus. Then, Geoff Rowles (who was a Director and our Company Secretary at the time) became involved and took it on as his own. The program has been running ever since and is now managed by the Youth Advisory Committee,” she said.

More recently, the program has become more immersive. “We wanted students to be more engaged in the program. Not just come and sit in on some meetings,” said Daizy. “So, they write a reflection at the end of each meeting, describing what they learned. They also present at the Annual General Meeting.”

We focused on applications from young people. We want to help young people to take risks. We need to let them take risks and learn from those experiences.”

Daizy Maan, Director

Right: Presenting at the Annual General Meeting is one of the skills students develop as part of our Business Boardroom Program.

Letting students look behind the scenes

The students who have completed the Business Boardroom Program have some very positive things to say about the program.

“Being a part of the Business Boardroom Program throughout year 11 was such an eye opening experience. It enhanced my learning by bringing the textbook to life, allowing me to see how a company operates first hand.”

— Tiffany

“The program gave me a solid understanding regarding modern corporate governance and will assist me in pursuing my future career within the business world.” —

Emma

“The Business Boardroom Program gave me great insight into how the community banking sector operates and functions. I now look forward to taking this knowledge and not only applying it to the classroom but using it in future endeavours.” — Angus

“The Business Boardroom Program helped to shape my goals and aspirations for the future. I learnt beneficial skills, such as leadership and professionalism, often not taught in school. This program was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that has helped guide my career in accounting and finance. ”

— Manon

“The Business Boardroom Program was an incredible insight into the inner workings of a listed public company. Through the program, I was able to get a view into the governance and corporate matters of the company, including how all legal and social obligations to stakeholders were managed. The program was a fantastic opportunity, and has shown me how businesses can succeed by building and leveraging strong relationships with their local communities.” —

Nikhil

In 2013, to further extend the company’s youth programs, the CASH Group started awarding scholarships for young people in the community to attend the Magic Moments Youth Leadership and Business Summit. Every year, young people hear from local and international speakers discussing personal development, leadership and business skills, particularly involving community outcomes.

Juliann had seen the program’s impact while attending a presentation evening by neighbouring Community Bank® companies. “The young people who attended the summit gave a very compelling presentation,” recalled Juliann. “So the board agreed to support sending some of our local young people on the program. As part of our sponsorship arrangement, the young people who attend the summit present their experiences to the board and at the Annual General Meeting, something many of them would not have been able to do before attending the summit.”

Above: Young people learn new skills at the Magic Moments Youth Leadership and Business Summit.

‘Growing the youth of today into the leaders of tomorrow’—Magic Moments Youth Leadership and Business Summit

The people who have led our company

Russell Wittick

February–

December 2002

Colin

Fulton

February 2002–

March 2004

Dick Menting

February 2002–present

Dick was the company’s founding Chairman, and previously spent 35 years in banking, finance and administration. He helped establish the Canterbury Steering Committee, after one of the local traders contacted him when the Commonwealth Bank decided to close its branch on Maling Road. He had been involved in establishing the Warburton Community Bank® Branch. Dick is still a Director.

Russell started as a member of the Canterbury Steering Committee. When the company started, he was the business manager at Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School in Canterbury. The school was one of the company’s main supporters in the early days, and very generously offered its facilities for public meetings and board meetings.

Heather Brown

February 2002–

October 2004

Heather was a member of the Canterbury Steering Committee. As a trader on Maling Road, she was worried about how not having a bank could affect businesses on the local shopping strip.

Colin was a member of the Canterbury Steering Committee. He supported the company because it was a community effort and the profits would go back into the community. He felt that all the hard work in establishing the bank was worth it when the community got behind it.

David Orford

February 2002–

February 2009

David was a member of the Surrey Hills Steering Committee, and became Deputy Chairman of the board. He joined the community banking cause because he wanted to give something back to the community. He took great pleasure in helping community organisations via the company’s Community Investment Program.

Damien Hudson

February 2002–present

Damien was a member of the Surrey Hills Steering Committee, formed when the Commonwealth Bank closed its Surrey Hills Branch on Union Road. He remembers the constant stream of people through his family’s real estate office on Union Road, who were concerned about losing local banking services. Damien is still a Director.

Andy McKay

February 2002–

February 2006

Andy chaired the Surrey Hills Steering Committee. He wanted to establish a bank, so that elderly people and people with young children would have access to local banking services. He was also concerned about local traders, who noticed a drop in business because people who use banks no longer came to Union Road.

Ann Price

February 2002–

October 2004

Ann joined the Surrey Hills Steering Committee after telling her husband if she wasn’t willing to do something about local banks closing, she should stop complaining.

Bruce Chisholm

February 2002–

October 2006

Bruce joined the Canterbury Steering Committee, after noticing a sign in a local business window. His interest in community banking sprang from a conversation he had with Rob Hunt (the CEO

of Bendigo Bank) at a school reunion in Bendigo. As one of the company’s founding Directors, he served on the board for four years.

Gary Dowel

February 2002–

April 2005

Gary lived in Surrey Hills, but he worked in East Malvern, and was involved in establishing the East Malvern Community Bank® (which opened in 2000). When the Surrey Hills Steering Committee formed later that year, Gary joined and brought with him his experience from East Malvern. He was one of the founding Directors of the CASH Group. After three years on the board, and with the CASH Group in a good financial position, Gary felt he’d devoted enough of his spare time to the company.

Catherine Charles

February 2002–

September 2003

Catherine was part of the Canterbury Steering Committee, and later a founding Director of the CASH Group. She and her family had recently moved to Melbourne from Sydney, and the steering committee was a way for her to

connect with the local community. Drawing on her legal and HR background, she drafted many of the company’s early governance policies. She left the board in 2003, to care for her young family.

Shane Healy

February–June 2003

Bob Stensholt asked Shane to help set up the Surrey Hills and Canterbury branches, given his accounting qualifications and experience. He remembers calculating wages on an Excel spreadsheet, which was often challenging, at Dick Menting’s house. He was then invited to join the board, but left shortly after, when his work took him and his family to Sydney.

John Andricciola

June 2003–June 2005

Bob Stensholt

February 2002–present

Bob started protesting against bank branch closures in 1998, when the Commonwealth Bank closed its branch in Hartwell. He helped start the Surrey Hills Steering Committee because the closure on Union Road affected many of his constituents. He joined the Canterbury Steering Committee for the same reason. Bob is still a Director and is Deputy Chairman of the board.

John and his wife had a small accounting practice in Burwood and he was recruited to help with the company accounts and became Treasurer when Russell Wittick left the board. He left the board when his family moved out of the area. His company still helps with the accounts and he is now on the board of a Community Bank® company where he lives.

Juliann Byron

October 2004–present

Juliann joined the board as Company Secretary. Her family owns a business on Maling Road, and like many traders, they thought local banking services were important to maintain Maling Road’s viability. Juliann later became the Secretary and Treasurer, and now chairs the board.

Liz Grant

May 2004–

October 2009

Liz was one of the first traders on Union Road to transfer all her accounts to the Surrey Hills

branch when it opened. She was passionate about giving the community a voice, keeping business local and fostering community participation. She put her graphic design and marketing skills to good use as the chair of the marketing committee.

Ern Hermeler

July 2005–July 2006

Ern had a senior role at the Bendigo Bank for many years. He joined the CASH Group board after he retired, to share his banking experience and remain involved in community banking.

Trevor Kempton

February 2006–July 2011

Trevor was a Maling Road trader, who brought his considerable marketing and retail experience to the board.

Leigh Smith

January 2007–

January 2017

Leigh was the sponsorship manager for the Camberwell Sharks Junior Football Club, one of

clubs that played at Lynden Park. The CASH Group became a major sponsor, as part of the clubroom refurbishment. After the refurbishment, Leigh was asked to join the board. Ten years later, after having sat on most committees and chairing some, Leigh resigned, feeling it was time for some fresh faces on the board.

Derek Mortimer

May–August 2008

Derek joined the board for a short period as the Company Secretary, bringing his considerable experience in dealing with the community sector (from working at Moore’s Legal).

Cathy van der Zee

September 2008–

October 2009

Cathy worked with Dick Menting (at City of Boroondara) and Bob Stensholt was her local member. She’d lived in Ashburton for many years, so accepted when they asked her to join the steering committee to establish a new branch. She later joined the board, sitting on the marketing,

and governance and audit committees. She left the board after a year, to start a family.

Gordon McFarlane

September 2008–

November 2016

Gordon joined the board after chairing the Ashburton Steering Committee. He wanted to offer a banking service in Ashburton that wasn’t just about profits for shareholders. He became the Treasurer, and stayed on the board for eight years. He left the board when his family moved out of the area.

Michael Hills

September 2008–

March 2010

Michael joined the board after helping set up the Ashburton branch (as a member of the Ashburton Steering Committee). He liked the idea of a bank that would be involved in its local community. And he thought a bank in High Street would also give people a convenient local alternative to existing financial institutions.

Jane Martino

July–September 2009

Jane lived in Glen Iris and had her own marketing company. She brought this experience to the board.

Zoe Hart

July–September 2009

Zoe had worked with various community groups in the area, so the existing Directors invited her to join the board.

John Grace

March 2011–

November 2013

John was a well known local identity. He was a cricket umpire for many years, owned a sporting uniforms company and worked with several local Catholic parish offices. He contributed this experience and strong community commitment during his time on the board.

Geoff Rowles

April 2012–

November 2015

Geoff was interested in contributing to the community, via a Community Bank® so a business associate put him in touch with Dick Menting. He started as the Company Secretary in 2010, before joining the board in 2012. During his time on the board, he helped establish a comprehensive board governance system, and then decided to move on, to allow new people with new ideas to join the board.

Youth Foundation. When she was 16, she volunteered to be on the foundation’s grants committee, helping to assess funding applications from young people in the community. She now chairs the company’s Youth Advisory Committee, and joined the board in 2016.

Committee, becoming a member of the board the following year.

James Grant

February 2017–present

Daizy Maan

February 2016–present

Daizy first got involved with the CASH Group via the Boroondara

Andrew Whittaker

May 2016–present

After retiring from full time work in various management consulting and executive management roles, Andrew saw the CASH Group as an ideal way of giving something back to the community that he had lived in for nearly 30 years. He joined the CASH Group in 2015 as chair of the Community Investment and Marketing

James joined the board in February 2017, after 12 months of helping with special project work. He was attracted by the social enterprise model of community banking, and wanted to use his 34 years of experience in the banking sector in a more positive environment. He’s enjoying working with like-minded people, who want to keep the company growing, so they can continue supporting the local community.

The contribution we make to our local community is extraordinary. Many projects simply wouldn’t have been possible without our support.”

Andrew Whittaker, Director

“

The people who helped start our branches

Surrey Hills Steering Committee

Andy McKay (Chair)

Ken McAlpine

Ann Price

Damien Hudson

Gary Dowel

Peter Lindstrom

Bob Stensholt

David Orford

Michael Kendell

Dennis Whelan

David Blackwell

Richard Chua

Boyd Fraser

Bridget O’Leary

Ian Prescott

Ashburton Steering Committee

Mary Halikias-Byrnes (Chair)

Gordon McFarlane (Chair)

Hal Hobbs

Cathy van der Zee

Allan Clausen

Jennifer Easson

Coral Hassett

Harold Johnston

Rebecca Lyster

Dick Menting

Bob Stensholt

Margaret Warland

Michael Hills

Canterbury Steering Committee

Dick Menting (Chair)

Janet Clark

Russell Wittick

Bruce Chisholm

Mark Newstead

Kenn Buckley

Colin Fulton

Heather Brown

Catherine Charles

Graeme Martin

Michael Ricketson

Mike Headberry

John McRae

Bob Stensholt

West Hawthorn Steering Committee

Jeff O’Meara (Chair)

Dick Menting

Juliann Byron

Michael Hallinan

Nick Coker

Glenys Thomson

Graeme Yole

Bob Malseed

Grant Lancashire

Dunan Mansie

Mike Feehan

Neil Excell

Bob Stensholt

Susanne Wynd

Balwyn Steering Committee

Greg McKie (Chair)

Dick Menting

John Grace

Gary Chan

Peter Moran

Robert Clark

Di Gillies

Terry Cheshire

Deidre Brown

Phil Cramer

Geoff Rowles

Christopher Miller

Nicholas Tragas

Peter Knox

Tim Petony

Tom Hickie

Fong Tee

Juliann Byron

Meaghan Adams

Ken McQualter

Nick Coker

Establishing the bank brought people together. People who wouldn’t necessarily have even met each other became friends. And many of these connections have endured.”

Damien Hudson, Director

The community organisations we have supported

Ashburton YMCA

Ashwood High School

Ashwood Netball Club

Ashwood School

Atoms Basketball Club

Auburn Bowls Club

Australian Electric Traction Association

Australian Youth Band B

Balwyn Cricket Club

Balwyn Evergreen Centre

Balwyn Football Club

Balwyn Junior Football Club

Alamein Neighbourhood and Learning Centre

Alkira

Amaroo Neighbourhood House

Angel Babies Foundation

Ashburton Bowls Club

Ashburton Community Centre

Ashburton Girl Guides

Ashburton Primary School

Ashburton Support Services

Ashburton Traders Association

Ashburton United Junior Football Club

Ashburton United Soccer Club

Ashburton Uniting Tennis Club

Ashburton Willows Cricket Club

Balwyn Primary School

Balwyn Traders Association Inc

BassCare

Belmore Special School

Boroondara Cares (formerly Foundation Boroondara)

Boroondara Chinese Senior Citizens Association

Boroondara Cricket Club

Boroondara Eagles Football Club

Boroondara Family Network

Boroondara Hawks Junior Football Club

Boroondara Netball Association

Boroondara Park Primary School

Boroondara Scouts

Boroondara Symphonic Band

Boroondara Youth Foundation

Bowen Street Community Centre

Box Hill / Kew Brumbies Hockey Club

Box Hill Athletics Centre

Box Hill Ballet Association

Box Hill Cricket Club

Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway Society Incorporated

Box Hill RSL Bowls Club

Box Hill Tennis Club

Box Hill U3A Inc

Box Hill United Soccer Club

Box Hill/Canterbury Chess Club

BUGS Gymnastics

Bulleen Cricket Club

Burke and Beyond

Burwood Bulletin

Burwood Cricket Club

Burwood District Bowls Club

Burwood Neighbourhood House

Burwood Tennis Club

Burwood Uniting Canterbury Cricket Club

Burwood Village Traders’ Association

Camberwell Area Multiple Birth Association

Camberwell Central Bowls Club

Camberwell Dragons Basketball Club

Camberwell Girls Grammar School

Camberwell Grammar Friends of Kayaking

Camberwell Grammar School Friends of Hockey

Camberwell Grammarians Theatre Company

Camberwell High School

Camberwell Hockey Club

Camberwell Lacrosse

Alamein Football Club

Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club

Camberwell Sharks Jnr Football Club

Camberwell South Netball Club

Camberwell South Primary School

Camberwell United Tennis Club

CamCare

Canterbury and District Preschool

Canterbury Community Action Group

Canterbury Cougars Basketball Club

Canterbury Council of Churches

Canterbury Cricket Club

Canterbury Football Club

Canterbury Girl Guides

Canterbury Girls Secondary College

Canterbury Junior Chess Club Inc.

Canterbury Junior Football Club

Canterbury Norwood

Baptist Kindergarten

Canterbury Scouts

Canterbury Tennis Club

Canterbury Toy Library

Ceres Calisthenics Club Inc.

Chatham Primary School

City of Camberwell Tennis Club

Country Women’s Association

Craig Family Centre

Crepes for Change

CWA Boroondara Branch

Deepdene Bears Cricket Club

Deepdene Uniting Cricket Club

Down Syndrome Australia

East Burwood Football Club

East Burwood Junior Football Club

East Camberwell Baptist Church

East Camberwell Tennis Club

East Malvern Golf Club

Eastern Cricket Association

Eastern Cricket Umpires Association

Eastern Football League

Eastern Lions Soccer Club

Elgar Park Cricket Club

Eltham District Horse and Pony Club

Friends of South Surrey Park

Friends of Wattle Park

Glen Iris Junior Football Club

Glen Iris Primary School

Glen Iris Rd Uniting Church & Community Centre

Greythorn Falcons Junior Football Club

Greythorn Park Tennis Club Inc

Hartwell Childcare Association

Fight MND

Fintona Girls School

First Balwyn Scout Group

First Glen Iris Scout Group

Florence Road Pre School

Friends of Ashburton Train Station

Friends of Back Creek

Friends of Same Inc.

Hartwell Uniting Cricket Club

Hawthorn Amateur Football Club

Hawthorn Basketball Association

Hawthorn Bowling Club

Hawthorn Citizens Junior Football Club

Hawthorn Community Garden

Hawthorn Cricket Club

Hawthorn Magic Jnr Basketball

Hawthorn Rowing Club

Highfield Rd Uniting Church Tennis Club

Holy Trinity Anglican Church Surrey Hills

Lac Viet Performance Group

Learning For Life Autism Centre

Life Education Victoria

Lions Club of Box Hill

Lynden Park Scouts

Mad Cat Theatre Company

Magic Moments Foundation

Male Bag Foundation

Maling Precinct Protection Group

Maling Probus Club

Maling Rd Business Association

Marcellin Old Collegians Cricket Club

MCC Kew Sporting Club

Inner Eastern Community Road Safety Council

Interchange Inner East

Melbourne Ballet Company

Men’s Arthritis Self Help Group

Mont Albert Cricket Club

Mont Albert Primary School

Mont Albert Village Traders Association

Kew Swimming Club

Koonung Heights Netball Club

MPL Squash Inc

Nazareth Care

North Balwyn Combined Cricket Club

North Balwyn Cricket Club

North Balwyn Inter Church Council

North Balwyn Netball Club

North Balwyn Tennis Club

Northern Suburbs Fly Fishing Club

Nunawading Football Club

Old Camberwell Grammarians Football Club

Old Carey Grammarians Association

Old Carey Grammarians Football Club

Old Scotch Collegians

Old Scotch Cricket Club

Old Scotch Cycling Club

Old Scotch Soccer Club

Old Scotch South Yarra Football Club

Old Trinity Grammarians Amateur Football Club

Our Holy Redeemer Primary School

Our Lady’s Primary School

Richmond Central Amateur Football Club

Riversdale Soccer Club

Roaring 40s AFL 9s Football Club

Roberts McCubbin Primary School

Rossbourne School

Rotary Club of Balwyn

Rotary Club of Box Hill Central

Rotary Club of Box Hill Inc

Rotary Club of Camberwell

Rotary Club of Canterbury

Rotary Club of Glenferrie

Rotary Club of Hawthorn

Rotary Club of Mont Albert & Surrey Hills

Rotary District 9810

Rowen Street Kindergarten

St Augustine’s Anglican Kindergarten

St Barnabas Cricket Club

St Dominics Primary School

St Dunstans Anglican Church

St Kevins Old Collegians Cricket Club

St Mary’s Salesian Amateur Football Club

St Michaels Primary School

St Pauls Kindergarten

St Tom’s Hope Ltd

STC South Camberwell Cricket Club

Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar

Summerhilll Park Kindergarten

Surrey Hills Baptist Children

Surrey Hills Cricket Club

Surrey Hills Ladies Probus Club

Surrey Hills Music Festival

Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre

Surrey Hills Netball Club

Surrey Hills Primary School

Surrey Hills Progress Association

Samarinda Ashburton Aged Services

Sauzal Folkloric Dance Group

Scotch College Junior School

Scotch College Rugby Union Scouts Australia—Camberwell Showtime

Parkhill Primary School

Pied Piper Toy Library

Playstation Incorporated

Power Neighbourhood House

Probus Club of Ashburton

Probus Club of Balwyn Central

Probus Club of Canterbury

Scripture Union Victoria

Second/Seventh West Waverley Scout Group

Solway Primary School

South Camberwell Basketball Club

South Hawthorn Tennis Club

South Yarra Football Club

Spina Bifida Foundation Victoria Inc.

Surrey Hills Traders Association

Surrey Hills Uniting Church T/C

Surrey Park Football Club

Surrey Park Junior Football Club

Surrey Park Lacrosse

Surrey Park Sporting Club

Surrey Park Swimming Club

Swinburne Football Club

Swinburne Senior Secondary College

Swinburne University

Swinburne University Amateur Football Club

The Edge Community Fund Inc

The Pearl Project

Trinity Willison Cricket Club Inc

Unit Committee TS Melbourne Inc.

Victoria Police

Victorian Obedience Dog Club

Wattle Park Primary School

Waverley Bridge Club Inc

Waverley District Netball Association

Waverley Hockey Club

Whitehorse City Council

Whitehorse City Friends of Decussy Enclave

Whitehorse Colts Junior Football Club and Netball Club/Pioneers Senior Football Club

Wyclif Cricket Club

Yarra Bend Rotary (formerly Rotary Club of Kew)

Yarra Gospel Incorporated

supportingourcommunity.com.au

Branch Contact Details

Canterbury Community Bank®

Shop 2, 143 Maling Road, Canterbury, VIC 3126

T (03) 9836 9466

E canterburymailbox@ bendigoadelaide.com.au

Ashburton Community Bank®

241 High Street, Ashburton, VIC 3147

T (03) 9885 2666

E ashburtonmailbox@ bendigoadelaide.com.au

Surrey Hills Community Bank®

107 Union Road, Surrey Hills, VIC 3127

T (03) 9890 7188

E surreyhillsmailbox@ bendigoadelaide.com.au

Balwyn Community Bank®

411 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn, VIC 3103

T (03) 9836 8029

E balwynmailbox@ bendigoadelaide.com.au