Its been a busy year for AlexInvest Community Services Limited and now we are rapidly approaching our first AGM.

To make the AGM as accessible as possible to all shareholders the Board has decided to hold it at The Aquatic Club, Barrage Road, Goolwa at 2.00pm on Saturday 29 October 2011.

The Annual Report will be published in late September and will be available at http://www.bendigobank.com.au/public/community_bank/community_bank.asp?name=goolwa

Shareholders may request an electronic or paper based Annual Report to be forwarded to them free of charge. If you would like to receive a copy of the Annual Report, please email; secretary@alexinvest.com.au by no later than September 9, 2011 with your name, postal mailing address or email address.

 More than 220 shareholders of Goolwa & District Community Bank® Branch  joined the local community on Friday, May 6 to celebrate the launch of the branch.

Locals have rallied together to raise $790,000 to set up a Community Bank® branch in Goolwa. 

Goolwa & District Community Bank® Branch was officially opened at 4pm by Community Bank® Chair, Carol Gaston AM,  Bendigo Bank Executive, Marnie Baker and Alexandrina Council Mayor, Kym McHugh. 

Shareholders, residents and traders took part in the celebrations, which was followed by a behind the scenes look at the bank branch this community has established.

Festivities included performances by Investigator College’s school band, wine tasting by Ballast Stone wines, a Rotary Club sausage sizzle and an appearance by Bendigo Bank mascot, Piggy.  Auntie Eileen McHughes gave the welcome to Ngarrindjeri country and Major Sumner carried out the smoking ceremony.

The ribbon was cut by the first shareholders, Maurice and Rosemary Brown and the first account of $50 was awarded to 6 year old Isaac Konings from Goolwa who won a colouring competition.

“Our bank branch is owned by the people of Goolwa and in partnership with Bendigo Bank we can use the profits generated by this branch to fund important projects in our community” Ms Gaston said.

Goolwa is the latest addition to more than 270 branches in the Community Bank® network across Australia, and is the eleventh in South Australia.

``Friday, May 6 will go down in history as the day the mums and dads, traders, business people and the residents of Goolwa took control of their financial destiny,” Carol Gaston said.

“I urge the people of Goolwa who support our community to bank with their new Community Bank® branch and help to grow the business.”

Goolwa & District Community Bank® Branch is located at Shop 3a Goolwa Shopping Centre and is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm. 
 

Goolwa & District Community Bank® Branch board has appointed branch manager who will take up their position on Thursday 24th March.
 

Grant Maddern will lead the branch team, with his staff to be appointed in the coming weeks.
Grant brings with him a wealth of banking experience as a Senior Banker specialising in regional and rural banking and Agribusiness in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, and will assist with preparations for opening the Community Bank® branch. 
 “This is a fantastic community project and a business that I am looking forward to building,” Grant said.

“It is not often that you get to lead a bank branch team from day one, and with many local residents, business people and traders having a stake in the community company, I look forward to those people being among the first to become our valued customers and contributing to our community.”

The people of Goolwa and surrounding districts have filled their minimum share subscription, ensuring their Community Bank® branch will open in 2011. 

The $700,000 minimum target was acceded this week with more than 200 local people now shareholders in this exciting community venture.

Chair, Carol Gaston said achieving this share capital total was a momentous occasion for the community.

“To raise $750,000 is no mean feat,” Ms Gaston said.

“The people of Goolwa have faith in the Community Bank® model, their community and Bendigo Bank, and we look forward to now working towards the opening of our bank branch in early May.

The Community Bank® Branch was actively involved in the local community in 2010, donating $11,000 over two years to the Wooden Boat Festival and $3000 to a variety of local community organisations. 

‘’This gifting is only the beginning for our Community Bank® branch; just imagine what we can achieve as a community for the good of Goolwa and surrounding districts when we open our doors in May,’’ she said. 

Now that Goolwa Community Bank® Branch has been confirmed as a starter, the local company will continue to sell shares to its maximum of 900,000. Therefore a further 150000 shares, valued at $1 each, are available for purchase.

One of the key elements to Bendigo’s Community Bank® model is having a wide shareholder base, made up of local people who will transfer their banking to the branch.

The message now is if you haven’t done so already, purchase your shares in your Community Bank ® Company and prepare to transfer your banking business to our local Community Bank® branch.