CHESHUNT, England, 2016-Nov-28 — /EPR Retail News/ — Thousands more community groups will bag a cash boost from Tesco’s Bags of Help initiative after the supermarket announced plans to invite customers to vote for their favourite community projects every month.
Previously the awards programme ran every nine months, but from 1 December Tesco customers will decide on a monthly basis which groups get grants of up to £5,000, £2,000 and £1,000 in regions up and down the country.
It’s expected the new monthly format will see more than 7,000 projects receive vital funding every year. Funding will continue to be awarded to groups seeking to use and develop outdoor spaces in ways that will benefit their local community.
Matt Davies, UK CEO from Tesco said:
“Over the last year, the money raised from our customers buying single-use carrier bags has resulted in £24 million being awarded to over 2,400 local community projects – all chosen by our customers.
“I’ve seen first-hand the diversity of brilliant projects, ranging from outdoor classrooms, sports facilities, community gardens, play areas and everything in-between.
“In order for even more local projects to benefit from this money, customers will now be invited to vote for their favourite community projects every time they shop with us.”
Voting for the first month’s groups will run in Tesco stores across the UK throughout December. Customers will be able to cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.
Tesco is working with environmental improvement charity, Groundwork, to help deliver its Bags of Help scheme.
Groundwork’s national Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said:
“The money raised by Tesco customers through Bags of Help has already made a massive difference in communities.
“Now that the scheme will be permanently open for applications, we expect even more communities to benefit from fantastic projects that create or provide access to better, healthier and greener places.”
Tesco and Groundwork are always calling out for nominations from community groups and customers – find out more at www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- 600 community groups will receive a grant each month: three in each of the 200 Tesco regions
- The group with the most votes will receive up to £5,000, with second place receiving up to £2,000 and third place up to £1,000
- Every year more than 7,000 projects will receive funding
- Voting will take place from the 1st of the month to the last Saturday of the month, with projects changing monthly
- The initiative is supported by money from the five pence charge levied on single-use carrier bags
- Customers and community groups are able to nominate projects they would like supported, by visiting www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp
- Each month applications will be whittled down to three in each of Tesco’s regions by Tesco colleagues who live and work in each region
For more information please visit: www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp
For more information please contact the Tesco Press Office on 01707 918 701
Source: Tesco