1st Portsmouth Sea Scouts calls out for votes to bag a share of bag charge fund

1st Portsmouth Sea Scouts is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £5,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being 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.

1st Portsmouth Sea Scouts is one of the groups on the shortlist.

Improving Youth Sailing Opportunities

The project to establish a training centre will enable the group to increase the level of qualifications we can offer our own young people and the wider community. As one example of the training we could provide; currently to get a young person a

qualification in power boating it costs around £235. Not all the young people we have in the group would be able to afford this, or wish to go on an external course. For our own members we can run a course for £15 due to the subscriptions they already pay. We would be able to offer RYA qualifications in Dinghy sailing, VHF Radio and First Aid, which will help those taking part in water activities be better trained and safer.

Gaining qualifications gives young people a sense of achievement and confidence in themselves. They will prove useful for the young person later in life and will enthuse them as to the water sports they are participating in. This gives them the training to take part and enjoy water sports in a safe manner in the future. The Group leaders and adult volunteers would also benefit from gaining qualifications more easily and at a cheaper cost. This will mean the Group is able to sustain its own trained personnel to continue to provide water activities for its young and the training centre in the future. The savings the group could make and funds from running external courses would be reinvested in the group to increase capacity, maintain quality equipment and provide more and better opportunities for future Portsmouth Sea Scouts.

Voting is open in stores throughout May and June. Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.

Tesco’s Bags of Help project has already delivered over £28.5 million to more than 4,000 projects up and down the UK. Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups every time they shop. Every other month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions will be awarded funding.

Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said:

 “We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for May and June. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see them come to life in hundreds of communities.”

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said:

 “We’ve been thrilled to see the diversity of projects that have applied for funding, ranging from outdoor classrooms, sports facilities, community gardens, play areas and everything in between.

“We’re looking forward to learning the results of the customer vote and then supporting each group to bring their project to life.”

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. To find out more visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp

Ends

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  • The Bags of Help initiative is supported by money from the five pence charge levied on single-use carrier bags in Tesco stores.
  • So far Bags of Help has awarded over £28.5 million to  more than 4,000 community projects.
  • For more information please visit: www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp