CHESHUNT, England, 2015-10-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — The money raised from the government’s 5p bag charge in England will be used by Tesco to pay for a large number of local environmental improvement projects and from today, people right across the UK will be able to apply for grants or nominate online the local projects they want to see benefit from the funding.
The types of projects that are expected to get the green light include new pocket parks, sports facilities, woodland walks and community gardens.
Nominated projects will be whittled down to a shortlist of three for each region, and in early 2016 Tesco customers will be able to vote both instore and online for which of the shortlisted projects they most want to see get the go-ahead, with the winning projects announced shortly afterwards.
The size of the grants available range from £8,000 to £12,000, and Tesco is working with environmental charity Groundwork to administer the scheme.
Rebecca Shelley, Group Communications Director for Tesco said:
“It’s incredibly important we do our bit to reduce our impact on the environment and we’re really proud of the work we’ve done in this area, particularly in reducing waste.
“We’re going to work together with our customers in to make sure the millions of pounds that will be raised from the bag charge goes towards making a real difference for our local communities.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for local environmental projects to get off the ground, and I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved and nominate the projects that really matter to them.”
Tesco sees protecting the environment as an essential part of being a responsible business. The retailer has set an ambitious target to be a zero carbon business by 2050, and has led the industry in its work to reduce food waste.
Six projects will receive funding in each of 428 regions annually, which means that around 2,500 different projects will receive funding from the bag charge after just one year.
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork CEO said:
“There are so many benefits to be gained from making sure our communities have well designed, well managed green space near to where they live. People are healthier because they can exercise in the fresh air, grow their own food or just get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Communities are stronger because people get to know their neighbours and families have more places to have fun together.
“We’re delighted to be working alongside Tesco stores and customers to bring these benefits to thousands of communities across the UK.”
Notes to editors
• Local projects and charities can be nominated here: www.tesco.com/carrier-bags
For more information please contact the Tesco Press Office on 01992 644645
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