Latest news about our work in the community
You can read all about our latest community work, 5% Pledge donations, as well as some amazing stories about the charities we support.
For the latest Society news, check out the Media Hub today.
As a mutual building society we are dedicated to supporting our members and the local communities in which they live.
Our Community Vision sits at the heart of our support for our local communities.
Launched in 2021, our Vision brings together and celebrates everything the Society and our staff do to improve local people’s lives.
Our Vision has four main pillars:
By focusing our support through these pillars, we believe we can make a real difference to our members and the communities within which they live.
Every year we commit to sharing five per cent of our profits to a range of different good causes through our 5% Pledge.
County Durham Community Foundation, administers the 5% Pledge, which is available to local and regional charities, not-for-profit organisations and grassroots clubs.
Applications are welcomed from across Darlington, Teesside, County Durham, Sunderland and parts of North Yorkshire.
Grants are available from £2,000 to £10,000 throughout the year to support:
Every grant application is considered, discussed, and voted on by our Community Impact Group, who meet four times a year.
To apply simply complete the online application via County Durham Community Foundation (CDCF) today.
The Local 5 campaign gives each of our nine branches, plus Head Office, the ability to adopt their own five charities, or good causes, to support for a full year.
As part of the community strategy, as well as sharing profits through the annual 5% Pledge, staff are committing to helping their chosen charities in other practical ways.
They are pledging to share time through volunteering and fundraising; share knowledge through financial education and career enhancement; and share space by making facilities available to community groups.
Our staff volunteer with local charities and community groups throughout the year. Each staff member is given 2 days paid volunteering time to support any charitable cause they choose.
Over the last 12 months staff have volunteered their time with:
We love to get involved in fundraising wherever we can and throughout the year staff contribute to lots of activities to help raise funds for charities and organisations close to their hearts.
We hold regular fundraising activities across our branches and head office from food and gift collections, to knitting scarves and lots of bake sales!
Over the last 12 months we have so far raised funds for:
We have a number of spaces across our network that could be suitable for networking and regular group meetings.
Through our spaces we are able to support our local community whether that be by opening a branch for a community event or supporting a community group with a safe meeting space.
If you are interested in knowing more, simply drop us a line at community@darlington.co.uk today.
With our long-standing history in the financial service sector, we are passionate about supporting with learning in areas such as saving for a purpose, understanding mortgages, the impact of poor credit, and many more.
If you are a school or college wanting to know more or an employer wishing to provide financial help and guidance to their employees we would love to know more.
Simply drop us a line with your request at community@darlington.co.uk today.
For a whistle stop tour of our community work in 2021, watch this short video. All of which was possible by our members and their continued support of our Society.
