THE PLEDGES ARE IN, NOW FEASIBILITY BEGINS!

Thousands of survey forms calling on support for a Community Bank^® branch in Bacchus Marsh will start to arrive in letter boxes in the coming weeks.

After raising more than $800,000 in pledges of support, the Bacchus Marsh  Community Bank^® Steering Committee has embarked on the next stage of its campaign, a feasibility study.

Steering Committee Chair, Claire Sutherland, said 10,000 survey forms would be mailed to local residents, traders and business people calling for their banking support of the

Community Bank^® branch proposed for Bacchus Marsh.

“We have more than 250 people who would be willing to become shareholders in this public venture but we also need to determine the level of banking business local people would be prepared to bring across to a Community Bank^® branch in Bacchus Marsh ,” she said.

“The entire campaign to date has been based on community spirit - we now have to determine whether a Community Bank^® branch for Bacchus Marsh is a commercial reality.

“The survey will provide the steering committee with the answers required to make a decision on whether to proceed to a public share offer.

“The feasibility survey results are confidential, neither Bendigo Bank nor members of the committee will have access to individual survey forms.”

An independent consultant has been appointed to undertake the review and will present its findings to the committee and Bendigo Bank once the review is complete.

Survey forms will start to arrive in letter boxes throughout the Bacchus Marsh area from Monday 4^th February Surveys can also be completed online at www.bacchusmarshcbproject.com.au

Face-to-face interviews will also be conducted by the consultant and Bendigo Bank representatives with a mix of local residents, traders and business people required to take part in this aspect of the survey.

In the meantime, the committee is still accepting pledges of support.  Simply go online and visit www.bacchusmarshcbproject.com.au or phone Claire Sutherland on 0412 337 788 or Ian Barnett on 0408 671 055 who will be happy to provide you with a pledge form.