Winning projects of Deutsche Bank Community Challenge announced

The winning community projects of the Deutsche Bank Community Challenge, as voted for by the public, have been named.

The shortlists of projects for the initiative were announced at the beginning of March and since then the public have been voting for the projects they would like to see completed in each island. Thousands of votes were received and, in the end, it was the Jersey Mencap project that received the most votes in Jersey whilst the Ron Short Centre emerged as the winner in Guernsey.

Teams of staff from Deutsche Bank have now moved on to both charities’ sites to undertake the projects over the course of this weekend. The teams began work on the sites this morning (Friday 23rd March) and all work must be completed in a total of only 35 hours by 8.15am on Monday morning.

In Jersey, their task is to make the outdoors area of Jersey Mencap’s headquarters safe, enjoyable and more attractive for everyone who uses the facility. Jersey Mencap campaigns for better services and improved conditions for people with learning difficulties and their families and has been doing so since 1960.

In Guernsey, the team will give the Ron Short Centre a lick of paint, refresh the décor in the communal areas and tidy the outdoor gardens. The Ron Short Centre provides help for people of all ages with physical, mobility and sensory disabilities throughout the Bailiwick of Guernsey in a variety of ways.

Mark Hirst, Chief Executive of Deutsche Bank Channel Islands, commented:

“Since the Challenge was launched in February, it has received an excellent response from both community project leaders and the public. The crucial part of the project has now begun and our staff here are keen to get stuck in and complete Jersey Mencap’s and the Ron Short Centre’s really worthwhile projects.”

The runner-up projects for the initiative were, in Jersey, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Girls’ Brigade and St Ouen’s Youth Club. In Guernsey they were the North Youth Centre, Guernsey Cheshire Home and the Guernsey Youth Theatre. They were all presented with a cheque for £250, representing the profits from the phone votes together with a donation from Deutsche Bank.

Deutsche Bank is celebrating its 35th anniversary of being in the Channel Islands and the Community Challenge forms a part of the Bank’s celebrations.