# Saving children with savings

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/1997/09/16/saving-children-savings/
- Published: 1997-09-16T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Amid the windfall mania of this summer’s demutualisation of Building Societies, 
the Skipton Building Society has come up with an innovative scheme to keep carpetbaggers
at bay and raise money for charity.
To deter those wishing to become a member simply
to grab any potential windfall and run, the Society has pitched its minimum opening
balance at £2,000. Unless you deposit at least £5,000, however, you have to make
a £25 donation to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
The scheme has so far raised £200,000 for the charity.

“The question is why more of the so-called die-hard mutuals don’t do this, rather
than the farce of excluding small savers – their traditional customer – with high
opening balances, or simply turning people away”, says Steve Lodge, Personal Finance
Editor of The Independent. “This is a nice idea for which the Skipton should be 
applauded”.

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