How the carrier bag charge could help a Sunderland youth project

A Sunderland youth group is hoping for bags of help from Tesco.
The Youth Almighty Project is a past Best of Wearside winnerThe Youth Almighty Project is a past Best of Wearside winner
The Youth Almighty Project is a past Best of Wearside winner

The Youth Almighty Project, based in Silksworth Youth and Community Centre, is bidding for a share of the £12.5million fund raised through the carrier bag charge at Tesco stores.

The supermarket has teamed up with Groundwork on its Bags of Help initiative, which see grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to environmental and greenspace projects.

The area in Newport Dene the group is hoping to transform.The area in Newport Dene the group is hoping to transform.
The area in Newport Dene the group is hoping to transform.
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Three groups in each of Tesco’s 416 regions 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.

Youth Almighty Project is one of the groups on the shortlist and they’re hoping to use the fund to create green space for leisure and learning at Newport Dene in Silksworth.

A spokeswoman for the project said: “Youth Almighty Project are thrilled to be shortlisted to receive a cash boost to improve an unused area in the local community, identified as a need by local residents.”

Voting is open in stores from October 31 – November 13. Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.

The area in Newport Dene the group is hoping to transform.The area in Newport Dene the group is hoping to transform.
The area in Newport Dene the group is hoping to transform.
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Lindsey Crompton, head of community at Tesco, said: “The first round of the Bags of Help initiative was a fantastic success. In total 1,170 community groups were awarded £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 - that’s a massive £11.7 million being invested into local projects. We are already seeing some great results from groups transforming their own environmental and greenspace areas.

“We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for round two. 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: “Bags of Help is giving our communities both the funding and the support to create better, healthier and greener places for everyone to enjoy.

“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. They’re all fantastic projects that make a real difference in our neighbourhoods.

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