Clarien Bank employees and customers have raised almost $15,000 which has been donated to the Meal on Wheels charity following the annual Holiday GiveBack campaign.

The money was raised during Gibbons Company’s “Shop & Give Thursday” on December 15 and Clarien Bank employees’ Denim Day.

The donations were matched by the Clarien Foundation.

Clarien staff members also spent a day volunteering at the Meals and Wheels kitchen in Paget, helping prepare meals

Bank CEO Ian Truran presented Allison Garland, Volunteer Services coordinator of Meals on Wheels, and Alexa Petty, Operations and Food Services of Meals on Wheels, with a cheque for $14,810. Since 2010, the annual campaign has donated more than $84,000 to the Meals on Wheels programme.

Mr. Truran said: “Clarien is delighted that the success of our GiveBack Campaign has enabled the bank to once again make a significant donation to Meals on Wheels. We are especially pleased that this year’s total donations were up almost 50 per cent from last year and we thank all those Clarien customers, employees and members of the community who gave so generously to the GiveBack Campaign and showed their support for the important service Meals on Wheels provides to those less fortunate than ourselves.”

Ms Garland commented: “We are again extremely grateful to Clarien Bank for its generous support of Meals on Wheels as well as all those who donated to the Holiday GiveBack campaign. Meals on Wheels and the people we serve truly value Clarien’s continued commitment to helping us maintain this vital programme.”

For 40 years, Meals on Wheels has been delivering freshly-cooked lunches islandwide to those unable to prepare a proper meal for themselves, such as the sick, elderly and disabled.

It presently delivers 180-200 lunches four days a week as well as an additional 80 frozen meal replacements on Thursdays and weekends. The regular deliveries also provide a check on the welfare of recipients.