CUSTOMER-owned financial services company OneFamily is urging customers across Worcestershire to nominate a local community project for its annual awards – giving them a chance to win up to £25,000.

The awards offer the opportunity to secure a significant grant supporting a special project or initiative. Last year the awards funded 65 projects which included music therapy for people with Alzheimer’s, therapy rooms and spaces, sports equipment and much more.

Wythall Community Choir in Worcestershire was one of the successful nominations last year and received £5,000 to buy a range of song books and musical scores.

The awards are part of the OneFamily Foundation, which was created to give customers the opportunity to support their local community and the good causes in their area that matter to them and their families.

There are four different categories: health; disability and social care; lifelong learning; active living; and community groups. Each category will have eight winners with four projects receiving up to £5,000, three projects winning up to £10,000 and one project scooping £25,000.

Karl Elliott, customer strategy director at OneFamily, said: “The awards open today and we’re urging our customers across Worcestershire to get involved and nominate a good cause that could benefit from a financial grant.

“As we are owned by our customers we want to do more than just provide great products. We want to help our customers, their families and the communities where they live in other ways, and our OneFamily Foundation enables us to do just that.

“The Community Awards are a big part of the foundation’s work, and each year we give hundreds of thousands of pounds to projects close to our customers’ hearts.

“In 2016, we touched the lives of more than 100,000 people through the awards, and this year we want to help even more – giving even more people and communities the chance to get involved.

“Projects must be nominated to be in with a chance of winning, so I want to encourage OneFamily customers across Worcestershire to get involved and nominate the good causes that mean the most to them.”

The Community Awards open for entries now and close on Wednesday July 19.

OneFamily customers can nominate their local project by visiting:

www.onefamily.com/your-foundation/community-awards/

• As OneFamily is owned by its customers, it does not need to reward third-party shareholders. Instead, it uses a percentage of its profit to fund the OneFamily Foundation. In 2016, over £800,000 was awarded through personal grants and community awards.

• These awards have helped communities to fund projects including the renovation of swimming pools, parks and supporting dementia charities. It is estimated that 100,000 people directly benefitted from the community awards in 2016 alone.