A tea party and a teddy bears picnic were held in the branch, as well as an ongoing book stall and bucket collection.A coffee morning was also held in Wooler, while the fundraising year was rounded off with a Christmas tombola.
BARK provides temporary refuge for unwanted and stray domestic animals at its base in the new Ramparts Business Park, is staffed by eight part-time staff, a manager and a team of volunteers, and aims to rehome them wherever possible.
Its area of operation is north and south of the Scottish border, within around 60 miles of the kennels, although it has received animals from as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as London.
Animal are offered for adoption via the www.b-a-r-k.co.uk website.
The Berwick branch team’s fundraising for BARK is part of the Newcastle’s ongoing ‘Cornerstone of the Community’ campaign, through which individual branches provide support to organisations and good causes in their local areas, which include a range of community charities, hospices, schools and voluntary organisations.
Siobhan Younger, manager at Newcastle Building Society’s Berwick branch, says: “As a mutual organisation, we always try to give something back to the communities in which we operate, and supporting such a well-known and much-loved local charity is a great way for us to do this.
“The team at BARK works tirelessly to try to find new homes for all the animals that come through the charity’s doors, and we’re grateful for the generous support of our customers over the last six months which has enabled us to give them such a terrific amount.”