Grant Funding to improve your local green space from Tesco – just a little way in which you may be able to secure additional funds to form part of your Rotunda project:

Bags of Help is Tesco’s local community grant scheme where the money raised from the 5p bag levy in Tesco stores is being used to fund thousands of community projects across the UK. The projects must meet the criteria of promoting community participation in the development and use of outdoor spaces.

Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork and supported in Scotland by greenspace Scotland, have local Enablers across the country who can assist you with your application form.

Bags of Help is now is always open to applications from community projects.

Groundwork assesses all of the applications received to ensure they are eligible. This is followed up by Tesco shortlisting groups who decide which projects go forward to the in-store vote.

Three local community projects will be voted on in Tesco stores each month across Tesco regions throughout England, Scotland and Wales. In each region, the project that received the most votes from all stores in their region will receive a grant of up to £5,000. The second placed project receives up to £2,000 and third placed up to £1000. Every year, over 7000 projects will receive funding through this scheme.

Local Enabler for the Greater Manchester region, Liz Edwards said “this is a great opportunity for schools and community groups to  take forward projects which will enhance their green spaces and find creative ways to increase their use of these”

Examples of the kind of projects groups can obtain funding for include improvements to playgrounds, paying for specialist training and support such as a Forest School Leader to work with your group, installing raised beds and seating to allow your group to grow food crops, buying in plants and seating and installing new paths to improve access to your site.

For more details and to check your project/group is eligible please check the location of your nearest Tesco store and complete the eligibility checker  www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme/pages/Category/apply-for-a-boh-grant-tes2 and don’t forget to request help from your local enabler.