BNZ closes for community

All BNZ branches in the Western Bay of Plenty are closed today to give 70 staff a chance to give back to the community with voluntary work on projects.

Regional programme coordinator Timothy Bell say staff are looking forward to helping on a range of community projects as part of the bank’s annual ‘Closed For Good’ event – but were trying to also look after customers.

Deposits and withdrawals can be made through ATMs and full internet and phone banking services will be available.

BNZ Tauranga banker Tim Bell tries his hand at getting rid of weeds on the Rudolf Steiner School farm, with pupils Byron Kenealy, 8 and Eliana Mayfield, 8. It’s one of the community projects BNZ staff are helping with today. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

“Staff have a lot of fun, don’t mind getting dirty, they love the hard work and being in the community doing good for so many worthy causes.”

Projects will include restoring and cleaning early settler gravestones at Katikati cemetery, weeding Marine Parade’s sand dunes, planting natives at Te Puna Quarry Park, sorting donated second-hand goods and working in the Rudolf Steiner school organics gardens and farm.

Rudolf Steiner gardener Anne Cumberworth welcomed the work from the bank, saying it will help get on top of tasks including tidying up the new school entrance, spreading mulch on the garden and pulling out weeds in the school farm.

“I think it will be good for them to get their hands dirty and it’s also good for the children to see the people at the bank can do other things.”

This year they are keen for community volunteers to join them on the projects. For details go to www.closedforgood.org or speak to any BNZ staff member.

“We want to expand what we are doing with the Closed for Good day. Obviously the more hands involved the more we can achieve,” says Tim.