Help us to bag a share of Tesco's charity funding

The Midhurst Youth Trust needs help to provide new play equipment at its young peoples’ camp site in Stedham. Petworth Community Garden would like financial support to renovate its dilapidated wheelchair access ramp, paths and raised beds. And Lodsworth Parish Council is carrying out a project to make a safer playground.

They are all bidding for a share of the Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ initiative which offers grants of £12,000, £10,00 and £8,000 raised from the 5p bag levy and awarded to environmental and greenspace projects. Members of the public can vote at Tesco’s Midhurst store until November 6.

The project which gains the most votes in the next week will receive the biggest £12,000 grant, the other two grants will be awarded in order of the number of votes gained.

Yesterday representatives from all three groups gathered at the Tesco store in Midhurst to cast their own votes and to help promote their projects to members of the public who will be voting throughout the week

They were greeted by store manager Dave Woods.

Colin Hughes for the Midhurst Youth Trust said: “Last year, our first, over 1000 young people visited the campsite. Today there is an increasing awareness of the value of a truly rural experience for young and community alike. At our campsite this has only been made possible through the hard work and dedication of volunteers. Many of the facilities were very run down. With generous donations from various charities the classroom and the kitchen have now been replaced.

“We are asking for support to replace the ropes course with a new facility which will be both challenging fun and accessible consisting of a number of free standing, interesting and physically testing pieces of equipment.”

Caroline Neville, chairman of Lodsworth Parish Council said: “Lodsworth playground is very popular with the parish children and visiting families.

“The ground works were done many years ago and now there are holes, mounds and trip hazards, which can make accessibility difficult for those with disabilities, pushchairs and little feet intent on reaching the swings.

“As a small parish we do not have the funds to prepare a flat surface to make the area safer and so are thrilled to find that our application for a grant from Tescos has been put forward for votes. Tesco Bags of Help is a wonderful initiative. Lodsworth Parish and many children are very grateful.”

For Petworth Community Garden Kate Brickell added: “We are hoping to win funds to renovate our now severely rutted and difficult to use wheelchair access paths and ramps. If we win enough votes, we will be able to completely revamp the site and make it accessible again, ready to welcome more wheelchair users and groups to enjoy the many social and therapeutic benefits of being part of our fantastic community.”

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