Worksop charity HOPE needs your votes for bags of funding

Worksop homelessness chairty HOPE Community Services is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from Tesco's Bags of Help initiative.
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Tesco has teamed up with the charity Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects.

Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.

Emma Longmore, development worker at HOPE, said: “We run Nottinghamshire’s only 24/7 direct access hostel.

HOPE is one of three charities in the running for the top grant in Tescos Bags of Help initiativeHOPE is one of three charities in the running for the top grant in Tescos Bags of Help initiative
HOPE is one of three charities in the running for the top grant in Tescos Bags of Help initiative

“Our garden project will allow service users to engage in gardening related activities such as, weeding, mowing the lawn, strimming heavily grown bushes and planting seeds and flowers.

“Our garden also needs a makeover to allow service users to maintain it to an acceptable standard.

“The funding will allow us to get garden furniture such as, benches and chairs, as well as garden equipment such as a cordless lawn mower, hedge trimmer and a strimmer.

“This will better our community as, it will motivate our service users to become physically active, boosting their health and well-being.

“It also will mean that there will be less anti-social behaviour on our streets, as the project will give service users something to invest their time and effort with.

“This is a great opportunity for HOPE and service users.

“This project will allow individuals to become actively engaged in at outdoors project, and boost their health and wellbeing.

“We would really appreciate your votes”.

Voting is now open at Tesco on Gateford Road in Worksop and customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.

Alec Brown, head of community at Tesco, said: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers.

“It’s such a special scheme because it’s local people who decide how the money will be spent in their community.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s national chief executive, added: “We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities.

Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online at www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.

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