Bosses at the Bradford & Bingley Building Society are proud of their community programme. As part of our search for Bradford's Best Community Business Contribution, Simon Ashberry highlights the involvement the society has in the local community.

IT'S PERHAPS a sign of the times that the Bradford & Bingley Building Society now has a full-time community affairs manager.

Mike Hammond took up his post this week.

His job will be develop the work of the society's Community Matters programme which was introduced in 1998 and saw more than £500,000 being returned to the community during the year.

"Basically what we try to do is make a difference in the communities in which we work," said Mr Hammond.

"In progressive organisations, it's been worked out that in order to prosper you need to have a prosperous community as well.''

Mr Hammond emphasised that there was a clear distinction between charitable donations and other types of community involvement.

Although the society has given financial support to many community groups in the Aire Valley, it is particularly proud of its commitment to schemes such as the Better Reading Campaign.

Members of staff voluntarily visited Crossflatts First School and Bingley C of E First School three times a week for one-to-one reading sessions over a ten-week period.

"On average people's reading ages were being bumped up eight months after ten weeks which shows what a beneficial effect it was having," said Mr Hammond, who was a branch manager with responsibility for community affairs in the society's eastern region before taking up his new job.

Mr Hammond said that kind of scheme also had positive spin-offs for the society.

"We are also looking from our point of view of developing our own staff's skills," he said.

The Bradford & Bingley has also made significant financial contributions to local groups and events for many years.

One of the society's biggest fundraising efforts has been for the Bradford Millennium Scanner Appeal - a balloon race helped to swell its contribution to £13,600.

Other organisations which have been helped include the Daily Grind in Bingley; Bingley Information Centre; Bradford and Bingley Rugby Club; Bingley Harriers, the Black Dyke Mills Band; Bingley Little Theatre and Bingley Show.

Mr Hammond stressed the society is keen to support sustainable projects and likes to respond to local needs rather than impose ideas on people.

"We try to listen to what the local community wants," he said.

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