ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP PLC 
By Local NatWest staff today paid a visit Fareham's Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education.
They were there to present the charity with £2000 raised when a team of nine local NatWest employees, undertook a 26-mile sponsored walk for the Centre calling in at all the local NatWest branches in the area along the way.
Their effort, spurred on by sponsorship from customers and colleagues alike, was inspired after the local community voted The Rainbow Centre as the winner of Fareham's 2010 NatWest Community Fund which brought a further £3000 to the charity. It was therefore fitting that Portsmouth's newly appointed local CEO, Jason Allen, has just launched NatWest CommunityForce 2011, which invites local charities and community groups to nominate themselves to win a share of a dedicated local fund of £18,000.
CommunityForce has seen the creation of 158 individual funds across the UK and in each one NatWest is offering three local projects the chance to win awards of £6,000 each. Organisations and charities can apply for a CommunityForce award at www.natwest.com/communityforce between now and 4th September 2011. An online public vote will then decide on the three organisations in each area to each receive a £6,000 award, ensuring that the projects which are recognised are those that local people feel will benefit the community most.
Jason Allen, NatWest's Local CEO for Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight said: "In taking over from my colleague Tracey Smith, who took part in the walk and is moving to look after our branches in Southampton, I am delighted that one of my first jobs is to see her hand over this money to The Rainbow Centre, who provide such a fantastic and valuable service. To be able to officially launch NatWest CommunityForce at the same time, which gives all our local community groups and charities the chance to win one of three £6,000 awards on offer in our area, really puts the icing on the cake."
Beth Rogers, Fundraiser for the Rainbow Centre for Conductive Education, said: "We'd like to say a huge thank you to Tracey and the team from NatWest for taking on such a huge challenge and for raising such a wonderful amount of money and also to everyone who has donated. We can't stress enough how much of a difference the local NatWest team are making with their continued help and support."
