By Jed Lanyon
Healesville Community Bank is urging Healesville residents to shop local ahead of Christmas season in order to boost small businesses hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
After the success of last year, Healesville traders are planning to open for Christmas shopping on four Thursday evenings from 26 November to 17 December, 6pm – 8:30pm to give Yarra Valley locals additional opportunities to buy local for Christmas.
Everyone who makes a purchase during the evenings will have a chance to enter to win one of three ‘Healesville Hampers’. The winners will be drawn on Monday 21 December at the Community Bank branch.
On Thursday 3 December traders will be launching their sparkling Christmas windows and there will be local artists busking outside stores in order to improve the local shopping experience.
Healesville Community Bank board member Caroline Evans urged locals to think Healesville when it comes to gift shopping, as opposed to venturing down the highway to larger retailers
“The Community Bank is really happy to support local businesses, who have had an extremely tough year, by co-ordinating the Healesville Christmas Shopping Nights in 2020. We encourage everyone to join us at one or more of the evenings to shop local and support their local community. There is such an extensive and wonderful array of stores in Healesville you will be able to find something for everyone on your list – from new baby nieces to Great Uncle Harry.
“We are very fortunate to have a Community Bank in Healesville as 80 per cent of profits are donated to supporting the local community. The more locals and local businesses that bank with us the more we can contribute to local charities, not-for-profit organisations and clubs.”
