Who we've helped
Past grants and scholarships
Neville Spear Community Grant Program
Our community giving platform, the Neville Spear Community Grants program, makes a real difference to people’s lives from Port Macquarie to the Sunshine Coast.
We’ve been truly humbled by the caring and compassionate nature of our customers and the number of people in our community who need help.
Thank you to all our customers who have nominated and voted for these local not-for-profit groups who work tirelessly within our local community.
To provide much-needed support to aid the flood recovery, we have directed this quarter’s Neville Spear Community Grant to three organisations helping those directly impacted and in need of assistance.
For this round of the Neville Spear Community Grant, nominations are closed and there will be no voting required. For information on future rounds, we’re currently developing a new community grants framework to be launched in the next financial year.
We’d like to extend a big thank you to all the emergency services and volunteers at the frontline of the flood emergency, and to our members and community for their support.
We have made the donations direct so the funds can get to where they’re needed sooner.
Coffs Coast
- Bridging The Gap
- Coffs Women's Shed
- Pregnancy Care Coffs Harbour
- Nambucca Senior Citizens Club
- Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre Inc.
Surrounding regions
- Grafton Knitted Knockers Warm Touch
- Macksville Preschool Childcare
- Sunshine Coast Riding for the Disabled (RDA)
- Sawtell Panthers Rugby League Football Club
- Port Macquarie Neighbourhood Centre
Bill Ussher Community Grant Program
At BCU, supporting local communities within our regions is something we’re passionate about. We know that when organisations work together, groups and our communities will flourish.
In September 2020, we celebrated our 50 year anniversary. We are extremely proud of this achievement, and appreciate that without the ongoing support from our customers and communities it would not have been possible.
To celebrate this milestone and offer support to our local communities, we introduced the Bill Ussher Community Grants awarding a total of $50,000 to local community groups or not-for-profit organisations.
We asked our BCU customers to nominate deserving NSW and QLD community groups to receive a Community Grant.
- Coffs Harbour City SES
- Woolgoolga Lake Working Group Inc.
- Pregnancy Care Coffs Harbour
- Coffs Coast Pipes and Drums
- Volunteering Coffs Harbour Inc.
- Sawtell Toormina Netball Club
- Woolgoolga Red Cross Branch
- Woolgoolga Junior Surf Lifesaving Club
- Sawtell Panthers Rugby League Football Club
- Woolgoolga Regional Community Garden Inc.
- BCDAI (The Bowraville Community Development Association Inc.)
- Murwillumbah Rural Fire Brigade
- Bellinger River Agricultural Show Society Ltd
- Connect to You (Community transport service for the elderly)
- Stuarts Point Men’s Shed Incorporated (Men’s health group)
- Jimboomba Equine Carriage Club Inc.
- Aikido Community Inc. (Self-defence)
- South Coffs Community Garden Inc.
- Iluka Woombah Men's Shed
- Selfseen (Holistic men’s health group)
Bill Ussher Scholarship
The BCU Bill Ussher Scholarship awarded ten passionate students, trainees and apprentices across our region with $2,000 each in financial assistance to help fund their study or career development.
Thank you to everyone who applied. We are pleased to announce that our top ten applicants have now been selected.
| Recipient | Location | Course/career aspiration |
|---|---|---|
| C O'Neill | Clarence Valley | Certificate III in Electrotechnology |
| C Blair | Macksville | Certificate III in Aged Care |
| N Semple | South Murwillumbah | Certificate III in Electrotechnology |
| N Naik | Port Macquarie | Business degree |
| R Martin | Nambour | Aspiring golfer |
| J Chetty-Sardar | Maridan Plains | Bachelor of Computer Science |
| R Duncombe | Iluka | Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Advanced Studies |
| Z Cross | Bonville | Carpentry apprentice |
| A Bryant | Emerald Beach | Bachelor of Nursing and Paramedicine |
| A Richards | South Grafton | Bachelor of Nursing |
Past sponsorships
IRONMAN sponsorship
Established in 1985, IRONMAN Australia remains an iconic global event – taking place in Port Macquarie, New South Wales – four hours north of Sydney.
From the swim course in Hastings River to the bike course along the Pacific Ocean and run course in the heart of Port Macquarie, the event is a race that competitors come back to year after year.
BCU stands to be a proud event partner and looks forward to supporting the event.
Visit the IRONMAN website
Ride Around the River
This annual cycling event began in 2014 and was inspired in memory of a local legend – Brian Cockbain – who did so much for the cycling community in the Nambucca Valley and across the mid north coast.
The event attracted over 140 participants, locally as well as from outside the area; and it certainly was terrific to be a part of this wonderful event which brings the whole community together.
Proceeds from this event go towards supporting Nambucca Valley sporting clubs and the Macksville Cycle Club.
Because we're here to help
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