Press Releases

12 June 2002

The 8^th Linlithgow Brownies will tomorrow receive a £250 Community Cashback Award thanks to Agnes Thomson and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Agnes, who works as a Senior Risk Analyst for the Royal Bank at South Gyle, Edinburgh can also be found in Linlithgow under the guise of Brown Owl. Thanks to her regular volunteer work with the Brownies, the Royal Bank gave her a Community Cashback Award of £250 for the pack.

The 8th Linlithgow Brownies celebrate their Community Cashback Award

The scheme encourages staff to volunteer and fundraise in their own communities. Typically, the awards range from £100 to £1000, depending on how staff are helping or the amount of money they have raised. Their involvement could take the form of regularly volunteering as a youth worker, cycling the Great Wall of China to fundraise for charity, to undertaking a one-off community project such as creating a garden for a hospice.

Calum Gow, Head of Operations Support for The Royal Bank of Scotland said, "The Royal Bank is delighted to recognise the contribution Agnes and many other members of staff make in volunteering and fundraising in their own communities through our Community Cashback Awards scheme. Over £1 million has been paid out to nearly 5,000 charities and local community groups across the UK since the scheme was launched in June last year."

Sally McMath, Scottish Chief Commissioner, Girlguiding Scotland said, "Girlguiding Scotland provides a diverse programme of activities to enable girls to learn new skills and develop their confidence and self esteem. We rely entirely on over 8,500 adult leaders, across Scotland, who give of their time freely to work with the girls on a weekly basis. The financial support provided by The Royal Bank of Scotland employee scheme can only help support these volunteers and maybe encourage more adults to volunteer their time."

1. Last year The Royal Bank of Scotland Group spent £27.5 million making a difference to the local communities in which it works. Its community investment programme focuses on those people who remain excluded from society and it has joined forces with organisations that can make a real impact on social inclusion.
2. The Community Cashback Awards scheme is open to all permanent staff of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group based in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Gibraltar.
3. Awards are made to charitable organisations, including schools and community groups based in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar.
4. The following are examples of awards given:-

• a regular volunteer such as a youth worker or helper used to receive £100 and now receives £250
• £250 is awarded where a member of staff plays an ongoing role in the leadership, management or governance of the community group such as a trustee or treasurer.
• An individual member of staff who has raised between £100 and £249 receives £100 for their nominated charity.
• A individual member of staff who has raised over £500 will receive £500 – this is a new award for their nominated charity.
• A team of staff who raise over £1000 will receive £1000 – this is a new award for their nominated charity.
• £500 is given where 5 or more colleagues undertake a one-off community project such as refurbishing a playground.