Dumfries and Galloway Community Groups celebrate awards from the Bank of Scotland Community Fund

The Bank of Scotland Community Fund is helping local people to have a positive impact at the heart of their communities by giving grants to four good causes in each community. The groups recognised in Dumfries and Galloway were invited to a special presentation event at the high street branch of Bank of Scotland to meet with one another and those that nominated and voted for them late last year.

The four community groups from Dumfries and Galloway and the award they received are listed as:

Headway Association £3,000

FG Deans Memorial Hall £3,000

Kate’s Kitchen £300

NIthsdale Athletic Club £300

Nearly 380,000 votes were cast by the Scottish public for their favourite good cause – an overwhelming response to the Bank of Scotland Community Fund and the 208 good causes shortlisted in Scotland.

Every good cause on the shortlist received votes – cast online, in branches or by SMS during September and October 2013. A closer look at how the votes were cast shows the types of good causes that people are most interested in supporting across the country*.

• The highest percentage of votes (62%) went to community groups supporting young people

• Over half of the votes (53%) went to good causes that support families

• Large numbers of people (43%) voted for special needs groups

*Community groups are aligned to more than one sector; hence the total percentage is greater than 100.

Graham Lindsay, Director, Responsible Business, Lloyds Banking Group said “Bank of Scotland scaled up the Community Fund considerably in 2013 and in return we have had an incredible response from the public, which has resonated right across the country. We know that receiving a promotional boost and public support is as important as the financial investment and can have a sustained impact on groups’ engagement with their local community over time. Helping our communities thrive in this way is crucial to us delivering our ambition to help Britain prosper.”

Val McGoldrick, Brownie leader at FG Deans Memorial Hall, said “We are incredibly grateful to the Bank of Scotland Community Fund and to all those that voted for us to get this award. Our whole group was really enthusiastic about raising awareness of our involvement during the voting period, writing letters to parents to encourage voting with friends and family and setting up a dedicated Facebook page, so it has been a really great experience for us.”

To find out the results in each community, visit www.bankofscotland.co.uk/communityfund.

Bank of Scotland has committed to continue the Community Fund in 2014 as a result of the overwhelming response and engagement from communities and colleagues during 2013. Further details will be announced next year.