Seymour College program benefits from bank’s support

By Billie Davern

Jun 25, 2025

Community Bank Broadford and Kilmore branch operations manager Casey Smith was delighted to present Seymour College acting principal Derek Rimes with a cheque to aid the school’s College Cafe program. Photo by Contributed

In an effort to extend aid to Seymour, the Wallan, Kilmore and Broadford branches of Community Bank have thrown support behind a Seymour College initiative.

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The school’s College Cafe program, which provides free breakfast, morning tea and lunch to students each day, hopes to achieve the goal of ‘no more packed lunches’.

Community engagement and marketing officer Murray Jenkins said Community Bank was thrilled to support a program that aligned with the bank’s objective of bettering the community.

“The College Cafe program at Seymour College is a brilliant example of a school-driven initiative that’s creating real, long-term benefits for students and the wider community,” Mr Jenkins said.

“With many of our branch staff being Seymour locals, we are heavily involved in the community — we discovered the College Cafe program through our ongoing conversations with community groups and schools in Seymour.

“We’re always looking for new and creative ways to support Seymour, and this program stood out for its practical impact and community benefit.”

Community bank is a Bendigo Bank model that operates by reinvesting its profits into a range of areas within the town it serves.

Across the state, over $21.6 million in funding was distributed to local community projects and initiatives in the 2023-24 financial year.

Up to 80 per cent of the profits from the Wallan, Kilmore and Broadford Community Bank branches are reinvested locally, funding grants, services and programs that positively impact the community.

The bank has so far invested over $4.6 million in funding for local projects throughout the Mitchell Shire.

While the bank doesn’t have a presence in Seymour, it does serve the local area.

Broadford and Kilmore branches operations manager Casey Smith, who is a Seymour local, said it had been nice to see the bank supporting the town.

“Being born in Seymour, volunteering at local groups and now raising my own family here, it’s incredibly rewarding to see Community Bank Broadford, Kilmore and Wallan directly supporting projects that matter to our town,” Ms Smith said.

“Many people don’t realise that we service Seymour, and this grant to Seymour College is just one example of how we’re investing in the future of our community.

“It’s support like this that will have a lasting impact for years to come. I’m so proud to be part of a bank that is putting Seymour first.”

For more information on how Community Bank can help you, contact the Broadford, Kilmore or Wallan branches on 5454 1233.