Nationwide today reaffirms its commitment to the high street by trialling a new community fund that will see it donate £200 for every new current and savings account opened by residents in Windsor. It will see up to £10,000 going towards a local good cause that will be voted for by local people.
Britain’s biggest building society is also exploring how it will support its other last branch locations – of which there are around 90 across the country. The launch of the new fund will be supported by a special in-branch gig by Windsor’s other ‘one and only’, popstar Chesney Hawkes.
Since 2015, some of the banks have collectively closed more than half of their branches. However, Nationwide continues to value face-to-face service and, last year, extended its Branch Promise - everywhere it has a branch it will remain there until at least 2026. It now has the largest network by brand of any financial services provider, with 605 branches.
In Windsor alone, HSBC and Barclays both closed their doors last year, leaving just Nationwide remaining in the town.
Nationwide’s new community fund - named the Windsor Community Fund – marks the first of its kind and it is dedicated to supporting local people and projects. While all local residents can benefit from the local funding initiative, it will be of particular interest to those who value branches, but who have been left stranded due to their bank branch closing.
From 27 February to 26 March, Nationwide pledges to donate £200 to the Windsor Community Fund on behalf of any Windsor resident1 opening a new current account or savings account with the mutual.
Local people will get the deciding vote in how the funds are allocated via voting boxes in the Nationwide branch and online polls.
Chesney Hawkes, pop icon and singer of The One And Only, commented: “I was born here in Windsor and grew up in the area, so when Nationwide got in touch, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the campaign. There’s obviously the tongue-in-cheek connection to The One and Only which we’ve had some fun with, but it’s great to be a part of something that will truly benefit the local community for years to come.”
Mandy Beech, Nationwide’s Director of Retail Services, said: "Our Community Fund is not just about banking, it's about investing and saying ‘thank you’ to the town and the people that have stuck with us over the years. We are also exploring how we can support our other last branch in town communities across the country, ensuring those who value face-to-face service aren’t abandoned while enabling them to give back locally too.
“Being a member-owned mutual means that we can make decisions that are in customers’ best interests – not shareholders. We know that, for many, a physical branch is about more than just accessing money – it’s about that feeling of community, belonging, and having a friendly team of faces who are there to support you. This is why we still believe branches are important and why we have promised to keep them open.”
