THELMA BELL | ASHBURTON, Canterbury
Meet Thelma
NBS community banking client
As the chairperson of the Ashburton Multicultural Council, I help run the Multi Cultural Bite festival, which happens annually every Waitangi Day in Ashburton. I feel very grateful for the support the migrant community gets from NBS in Ashburton and the team there. NBS sponsors the Multi Cultural Bite festival and provides prizes, assists with ticketing costs, covers costs for the EFTPOS machine and we even enlist the NBS staff as judges.
When I first arrived to Ashburton from the Philippines in 1989, there was very limited diversity to be seen, but the landscape of Ashburton is becoming more and more diverse with migrants from South America to India. I believe migrants bring colour to Kiwi communities through food, customs and traditions which is why I have been involved with the Multi Cultural Bite event in Ashburton since its inception in 2010. Through this annual event, I help to champion and showcase the vast diversity found in our region and help locals embrace different cultures.
I deposit the earnings for Multi Cultural Bite into the accounts set up at NBS. It’s always great going into the branch as the tellers all know me by name. I am on a first-name basis with the staff which always gives a welcoming and personalised experience. I feel personally acknowledged and they are such nice people.
As a Justice of the Peace, I try to lend a hand to the Filipino community here in Ashburton and outside the district and help them navigate things like buying their first home or opening bank accounts.
Thanks to the good experiences I have had with the Ashburton branch, I have recommended NBS to many newcomers to New Zealand as I know they are friendly and patient to deal with and make things easy. These things don’t have to be difficult.
For me, banking for life means working together on a common goal. It’s about security and support which is why I feel confident suggesting NBS as a banking provider to my colleagues and others in my community.
I hope we can continue to enjoy the support we get from NBS for years to come.
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