Bank seeks new ideas to close down

Does the school playground in your neighbourhood need cleaning?

Would you like a Children’s Playhouse refurbished?

Do you have ideas for raising funds for a good cause or charity?

All you have to do is to submit your ideas online (www.closedforgood.org) on or before January 26 and if selected, you could see your favourite bankers implementing the project on March 9, 2011.

Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) is seeking public suggestions to undertake as many projects as possible in observing ‘Closed for Good,’ the annual day of public service in which a large number of its staff would be involved. They would even get their hands dirty to please New Zealanders.

The novel scheme has been evincing widespread interest among New Zealanders, with more than 500 projects completed in 2009.

The Bank chose 154 projects for engagement in Auckland alone from more than 800 suggestions received from the public.

They included bucketing mulch on to the Memorial Guide Dog Gardens, cleaning the exterior windows and water-blasting tiles and drives of the building and cleaning the exterior of Guide Dog Vans on site and coastal and beach cleanup for the Waitemata Harbour Clean-Up Trust.

Raja Venkatesh of BNZ Partners (Quay Street) in Auckland City said he and his colleagues throughout the country would take up the challenge again.

“We will be closing our stores and most of our support offices ‘for good’ on March 9 so that up to 5000 of us can lend a hand on projects throughout the country,” he said.

Mr Venkatesh said anyone, including those who are not customers of the Bank, can submit their suggestions.

“But the Project should benefit the community,” he said.