How we give back to our community

Because Police Bank is run by members, the well-being of our communities is very important to us. In this article, we look at some of the ways we give back to our community.

As a member-owned bank, we put our customers ahead of profits and we give back to the community – because we believe that building strong communities benefits us all.

It’s a way of thinking that goes back to our origins. Police Bank started in the early 1960s when a group of police officers had the idea of forming a mutual organisation for the benefit of all police. We’ve been 100% about our members ever since.

This approach can be seen among the growing family of banks in Australia that have a similar ownership model and similar goals around offering competitive rates, a strong service culture and supporting local communities.

As we covered a recent article, a study commissioned by the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) found the sector distributes around $6 per member per year to charitable organisations and community sponsorships. With a COBA membership of around five million, this is equivalent to $30 million injected directly into the community.

Last financial year, Police Bank reinvested more than 10% of profits back into the police community in the form of donations and sponsorships.

In this article, we thought we’d take the time to share with you a few of the community events we sponsor as a way of giving back to and supporting our communities.

Blue Ribbon Ball

Police Bank is a proud sponsor of the Blue Ribbon Ball, the largest annual fundraiser for NSW Police Legacy, an organisation that raises money to provide care and ongoing support to the families of police officers who have suffered a loss. This year we also donated a $10,000 first place prize for the Blue Ribbon Raffle, which is drawn at the event.

As well as raising much needed funds for the valuable work of Policy Legacy, the black tie gala dinner is also a chance for the community to recognise and acknowledge the proud history, traditions and contributions of the NSW Police Force. This year the event focused on celebrating leadership, and supporting our young Police Legatees.

Police Bank stood up on the night of the blue ribbon ball and made a pledge (along with others in the room) to support NSW Police Legacy Education Grant Program by donating an additional 10K. This support can be crucial for a family trying to deal with loss.

The ball began its life in 2002 as the “Blue Ribbon Memorial Dinner”, held in honour of Constable Glenn McEnallay VA, tragically killed on duty at the age of just 26. The event celebrates his memory, and the memory of all fallen NSW Police.

Heart to Heart Walk

First responders are twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts, three times more likely to have a plan for completion, and six times more likely to experience symptoms of PTSD (for those who have spent more than ten years in the role [RT1] ).[i]

To raise awareness for first responder mental health research and initiatives, the Heart 2 Heart Foundation has organised a 3,000 kilometre charity walk. The walk will depart from the Northern Territory in July and finish back in Canberra, raising awareness and funds for this very important cause.

As the first platinum sponsor, Police Bank is proud to support the fight for better mental health services for all Australian first responders and their families.

Ride for Justice

Founded by acclaimed crime reporter Simon Bouda, the annual Ride 4 Justice raises funds for the Homicide Victims’ Support Group, who offer counselling, support, and information to families and friends of homicide victims throughout NSW.

In 2023, more than 200 riders took part – one of the biggest turn outs to date! As the main sponsor of the event, we look forward to being a part of the inspiring event for many years to come.

Police Bank Cup

Sport brings together people and communities, strengthens social networks, builds a sense of belonging, and gives us role models that can inspire and unify us. By encouraging greater participation in sport and physical activity, sporting events can further support our physical and mental well-being.

Police Bank is a proud sponsor of several sporting organisations and events around the country including NSW Police Rugby, which we have supported for several years now. We sponsor the annual Police Bank Cup rugby league competition, an event open to serving NSW Police Officers who play for a variety of city-based teams.

NSW Police & Emergency Services Games

From indoor hockey and cross country running to axe throwing and Brazilian jiu jitsu, the NSW Police & Emergency Services Games hosts more than 30 different sporting events. Last year the games were contested over six days of competition within the Wollongong local government area.

The competition is open to employees of NSW Police, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, State Emergency Service and ADF and AFP posted to NSW. Retired and family members from each of these agencies are also encouraged to take part.

Tasmanian Police Charity Ride

Last year for the first time, we sponsored the Tasmanian Police Charity Ride.

In December, 100 people including 80 riders and five police bikes started off in Sheffield, heading to Cradle Mountain before finishing in Tarraleah, passing breathtaking backdrops along the way.

Established in 2006, the charity ride was started to give Tasmania Police and State Service employees the opportunity to raise money to support young people in need.

Australasian Customs Golf Carnival

To support the Australasian Customs Golf Carnival held in 2022, Border Bank – a part of the Police Bank network – offered $15,000 for a hole-in-one on each of the four days.

Teams from Western Australia, South Australia, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and New Zealand took part in the competition.

Smaller community events

As well as the bigger competitions, we support many smaller events throughout the year that have big impacts on the individuals involved and local communities.

In November last year, we sponsored a special event for the NSW Police Dog Unit & Mounted Unit, supporting Police Legacy NSW. Staff from both commands came together for a fun day out with some friendly sport competition, raising money for the families of police officers who have suffered loss.

Run4Blue

Sometimes, the contributions are made more broadly by our fabulous team of employees at Police Bank.

For instance, last year our team took part in the annual Run4Blue virtual running race to drive awareness and much-needed funds for Police Legacy.

Around $73,000 was raise for families of fallen police – an incredible achievement for all involved. Run 4 Blue kicks off in May, so be sure to keep an eye out for how you can get involved!

Taking community members to their sporting heroes

Sometimes it’s about taking members of the community to see their sporting heroes. For instance, we helped fund a special trip to the Rugby League Indigenous All Stars Game for a group of Sydney local Indigenous kids. The kids cheered on their heroes and shook players hands following the game – someone even took home a pair of game boots.

In October, in the leadup to the Supercars event at Bathurst, the Police Association of NSW teamed up with our partners NSW Police Legacy and Police Bank to give 11 very special Police Legatees a once in a lifetime experience. Travelling from all over the State to Bathurst with our organisers and executive members, the legatees were guests of Supercars and given the honour of travelling in the New South Wales Historic Patrol Vehicles on a lap of the famous Mount Panorama track just prior to the Supercars’ practice session.

These are just some of the events that we support as we seek to give back to our communities. We will keep building on our collective success to find new ways to support members and their families within the police community.

[RT1]Source: https://www.policebank.com.au/walking-towards-a-brighter-future-police-bank-in-community