Local communities across Westmeath will have the final say in selecting the local children’s projects to receive funding from the AIB Better Ireland Programme 2009 /2010.
AIB’s 182 main branches across the country each have €10,000 to award to local projects, and the community vote will decide how the funding will be divided up between the three short-listed projects at each branch. First place with the highest votes will receive €5,000, second place €3,000 and third place €2,000.
Voting starts this Monday February 15 and continues until March 15. Text and online voting - a new feature of this year’s programme - has made voting easier. To vote online, click on www.betterireland.ie, select the branch, and choose your project. To vote by text, text ‘branch keyword’ followed by a space, followed by A, B, or C to 51303 (standard SMS operator costs apply ). Voting instructions and details of the ‘branch keyword’ for each branch can be found on www.betterireland.ie
According to AIB’s head of brand management, Brenda Moriarty, “This year the AIB Better Ireland Programme received almost 1,300 applications for funding from across the country. These applications have now been short-listed to 546 children’s projects. Our programme is all about local participation, local voting, and local benefit for children and we would encourage everyone to get behind their chosen local project.”
The AIB Better Ireland Programme was broadened for 2009/2010 to include projects serving children with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities, children who are socially disadvantaged, and children with terminal or chronic illness. Applications were received from projects including homework clubs, teen clubs, autistic services, community crèches, schools and colleges, as well as drug and alcohol services for youths.
