News

The Mutual Bank was proud to support Maitland and Kurri Kurri Hospitals in celebrating NAIDOC Week 2025, held from 6-13 July. This year’s national theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy,” placed local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth at the heart of the celebrations. This year marked the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week, and the opportunity to spotlight the strength, resilience, and leadership potential of young Indigenous community members. Leading the way were School-Based Trainees—Annaliese Schonig-Jenkinson (Annie), Tahlia-May Massie, and Lilly Buckland—who played key roles in organising the week’s events. Annie also proudly served as the Master of Ceremonies for the launch. Kirsten Lawrence, Acting Clinical Nurse Educator – Cultural Safety for Maitland and Kurri Kurri Hospitals, coordinated engagement with local schools, facilitating cultural activities including traditional basket weaving and dance workshops. Students from Maitland Public School participated with great pride, performing their first-ever cultural dance for hospital staff and families. Teacher, Dave Wells, expressed his pride in the students, noting their enthusiasm and commitment. The school’s choral group was also invited back to perform at a future hospital event. Our Chief Member Officer Matthew Dunnill said The Mutual Bank was proud to sponsor the cultural engagement activities. “Supporting the next generation to carry forward cultural knowledge and pride is something we’re honoured to be part of,’ he said. Special guests included CEO of Mindaribba Local Land Council, Tara Dever, staff from Bungaree and Aunty Lorraine Martyn and Aunty Lorraine Dederer who performed the cake cutting with Annie. Learn more about National NAIDOC Week and The Mutual Bank’s Sponsorship program.

The Mutual Bank is excited to announce its continued sponsorship of the High School Teams Challenge in the lead up to Newcastle Surfest. The teams challenge taking place on Thursday, 8 May and Friday, 9 May 2025 at South Bar Beach and draws talented young surfers from across the state. Open exclusively to NSW high schools, the competition features both boys’ and girls’ divisions, with teams of up to five surfers. The event provides a fantastic platform for young surfers to showcase their skills and teamwork – all at the start of the internationally renowned Surfest competition to be held in June. Surfest sees some of the world’s best up-and-coming surfers descend on the iconic surf break of Merewether in Newcastle as they look to qualify for the 2026 Championship Tour (CT) as Newcastle hosts the first event of the 2025 WSL Challenger Series. Matthew Dunnill, Chief Member Officer at The Mutual Bank, said the teams challenge surfing event was always a highlight on the Hunter-based bank’s sponsorship calendar. “The Mutual Bank High School Teams Challenge is a great opportunity for young surfers to gain invaluable experience and demonstrate their talent,” he said “We are proud to support an event that aligns with our commitment to helping people thrive.” There is no entry fee for the event and prizes will be awarded to schools that reach the final, with the format to include two non-elimination rounds before the knockout rounds begin. Each team can have a maximum of 5 surfers with only 3 surfers competing in each heat. Surfest is the largest surfing festival in the Southern Hemisphere, bringing together amateur and professional surfers for 17 days of thrilling competition.

The Mutual Bank’s Annual Christmas Appeal has been a wonderful event for our team and Members in the last few years, brightening local families’ lives at what can be a tough time of year for some. This year, we are partnering with the Susan Roskell Toy and Gift Drive to help make even more of a difference. The Susan Roskell Toy and Gift Drive is a community initiative established with the goal of providing gifts and toys to children, and their parents and carers, who have been impacted by the effects of domestic and family violence, homelessness, illness and injury. The Mutual Bank’s Chief Member Officer Matthew Dunnill said becoming a Platinum Sponsor of the well-established and respected appeal was an easy decision for the member-owned and community focused bank. “The Susan Roskell Toy and Gift Drive supports grassroots charities and community organisations, helping them to meet the growing needs of families seeking assistance at what can be a really challenging time of year,” Matthew said. “Each year the donations have steadily increased with thousands of toys going to families in need.” Todd Sheldon from Bolwarra Heights, who is also the 2022 Maitland Citizen of the Year, organises the annual event which is now in its eighth year. It all started in 2016, when a request from Maitland’s Reading Cinema to support struggling families during the festive season saw Todd, his wife Penny, and their son Lachlan, donating wrapped gifts to a Wishing Tree and from this, the idea of an annual toy drive was born. “It is heartening to see that with every year, the support from the community and small businesses has grown which enables us to support the ever-increasing number of families that are seeking support and assistance,” said Todd. “We changed the name in 2022 to honour our mum and nanny who passed away during our 2021 campaign. Mum was a catalyst for starting this and will be forever loved and missed.” As well as The Mutual Bank branches being a collection point for the gifts, the bank’s team will also volunteer over two days to help sort the donations at their Head Office in Green Hills for distribution to the charities. Community members can drop unwrapped, new toys and presents and gift vouchers into one of the large boxes at each of our seven branches – Dungog, East Maitland, Edgeworth, Maitland, Mayfield, Raymond Terrace and Rutherford.