Schoolchildren across Stroud will benefit from a £5million grants scheme to help give them a healthier start in life.
The scheme, supported by UK community charity Groundwork, will replace the current Tesco Community Grants funding programme. It will focus on getting schools who lack funds and resources to apply for extra financial help they might need to provide healthy food and activities that boost young people’s mental and physical wellbeing.
This new initiative will enable Stroud schools to apply for support funding to get pupils the nutritious food they need throughout the school day, as well as resources to keep them physically active by using new sports and play equipment or outdoor activities.
Stroud schools will be able to apply via Groundwork for a grant of up to £1,500 that can go towards activities that focus on providing food to pupils such as fruit for breakfast clubs or snacks to enjoy throughout the day and for equipment for outdoor and indoor activities.
Successful applications will go to a customer vote in their local Tesco store. Two out of the three blue token voting boxes by the checkout will be dedicated to local schools with the third given over to community projects nominated by each store’s colleagues. Stroud customers can then choose which of the three projects they’d like to support by voting with a blue token.
The initiative will be boosted by Tesco’s Golden Grants events, which saw it give away £1million last year to mark reaching £100million worth of grants awarded to communities through the Tesco Community Grants Fund. In 23/24, Tesco will award 200 x £5,000 Golden Grants to schools and local projects.
This month also saw Tesco publish its Community Impact Report. Since its Community Grants programme launched in 2015 it has awarded over £100 million in funding to more than 50,000 community projects, with grant awards decided by 700,000 votes cast by Tesco customers in stores across the UK.
