Since its launch in 2002, our Tour de Branch events have raised an amazing £52,000 for charity. This year, the money we raise will help support three locally based charities, each with their own specific fundraising appeals.

Sue Ryder Care, The Old Palace, Ely
Sue Ryder Care supports people with a wide range of neurological diseases and life-limiting illnesses. The range of services include longterm and respite residential care, day care centres and home care. Sue Ryder Care Centres are funded partly by Social Services and Health Authorities, but these cannot cover the full cost of the care provided by the charity. The rest is met by legacies, donations, fundraising and income from its 430 shops.

Funds raised by Tour de Branch will go to The Old Palace in Ely, which provides residential and respite care for 42 adults living with conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Huntingdon's disease and acquired brain injuries.

Opportunities Without Limits (OWL)
OWL creates work, learning and leisure opportunities for disadvantaged people in and around Sawston, and helps them to provide a number of services to their local community. These services include OWL Bike, a service which refurbishes and recycles unwanted bicycles; OWL Cafe at Sawston Free Church; Meals 2-You, which delivers hot meals to the elderly and housebound; OWL Gardeners; OWL Community Maintenance Team and OWL recycling. They also run an Arts & Leisure Programme.

Cambridgeshire Bobby Scheme
The Cambridgeshire Bobby Scheme provides practical support to elderly burglary victims and those at high risk of burglary, in the Cambridgeshire area. Their team of carpenters and security advisers aim to make elderly people feel safer in their own homes by repairing minor damage caused by burglaries, and then installing locks, bolts, peepholes and door chains. They also help those vulnerable to burglary by providing security checks and installing security devices.

The Bobby Scheme has so far helped over 9,000 people. More than half of these live alone and the majority are aged over 80. Charitable donations are particularly important to this organisation, as the government has recently reduced its funding to this particular scheme.

Your charity support suggestions
Cambridge Building Society is committed to supporting the local community in which it operates. We welcome charity support suggestions from our members. Simply contact your local branch to make your recommendation or contact our marketing department at marketing@cambridgebs.co.uk