A DORCHESTER community group is celebrating after seeing off hundreds of applicants to be crowned a Skipton Building Society Grassroots Giving winner.
Dorchester Netball Club received enough public votes to make it into the top 161 winners, having had their story shared and their group showcased via Skipton’s social media activity. The 161 winning groups won over the hearts and minds of the public and are to be awarded a £500 funding pot after securing enough of the 27,000 votes cast.
The building society profiled each group on their website and asked the public to vote for who they thought was the most deserving.
The netball club is run by a handful of volunteers and they have previously struggled to secure funding. The group works hard to improve their local community and this funding donation from Skipton will play a huge role in their future growth.
A spokesman said: “We are dedicated to providing sporting opportunities for 7 to 70 year olds in the West Dorset area.
“The club is well attended by local girls and they have fostered a fun and friendly approach to training sessions, but they would like to offer serious competition to those that want to take their training further.
“All of the equipment they use belongs to the local leisure centre and the group would now like to purchase their own kit to allow greater flexibility.
“The group will therefore use this funding to purchase balls, bibs and posts which will enable them to take part in local leagues and tournaments, and ensure that the girls are given the best sporting opportunities possible.”
Bruce Francis, Skipton Building Society’s Regional Manager stated: “The Grassroots Giving programme is a fantastic scheme, allowing us to really delve into the heart of our local community.
“It is inspiring to see so many brilliant local community and voluntary groups working hard to improve our local community and it is with great pleasure that we are able to help them continue their work.”
As part of its Grassroots Giving initiative, Skipton has also launched a series of free resources covering a range of key areas for community groups, which can all be downloaded for free via skiptongrg.co.uk/free-resources
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