Record grants have been given out in the last year for new community facilities and services in the Epping area – fulfilling Community Bank Epping’s mission as part of the Bendigo Bank’s network to return profits to the area.

Dignity

Epping is a great area to live it but for some people the cost of living can be very challenging. There are many demands on family budgets and some are struggling.

Dignity is a charity that works to help those in need and received one of our Director’s grants last September. Their founder, Suzanne Hopman, gave an inspiring introduction to their work and Community Bank Epping has now expanded their support. A small grant will enable them to bulk buy containers for their meal services (pre-packaged meals provided to the homeless and needy).

But the Board particularly wanted to support a request for funding to provide a large number of food hampers in the lead up to Christmas. Our grant enabled them to pack and distribute a range of basic supplies to help families through the holiday season. In particular, they arranged to distribute the extra hampers through Northern District hospitals to help patients leaving hospital with basic supplies. They were also distributed to outpatients who were going through hard times.

If you would like to support the work of Dignity, go to dignity.org.au to donate.

The Shed is Open!

One of Epping’s longest projects is now complete! Last November, the North Epping Men’s Shed officially opened.

Located at the end of Boundary Road in North Epping, the Shed is the result of much hard work by locals. They saw that a Men’s Shed would offer people (women as well as men) the chance to come together, learn from each other, complete projects, help the local community and have an important hub space.

Community Bank Epping was the first supporter of the project, giving seed funding that enabled plans and applications to be made. Further grants were essential funding for the Shed build and fit out. Overall, the bank has been the Shed’s largest sponsor after government grants.

The committee are congratulated in their perseverance in driving the project on through numerous delays, and pandemic lock downs. But gradually a large Shed has emerged on the site.

This last year they have focussed on final works and fit out. Now new projects are underway. These include new garden beds in the Epping North Public School community garden, and an upcoming project for the playgroup at All Saints Church (supported financially by the bank).

New members can now join the Shed which is open four days a week. www.nems.org.au