Clydesdale customers asked to support kids via Tesco blue tokens

It is part of Stronger Starts, the supermarket’s new £5 million a year grant scheme to support schools and children’s groups with funding for food and healthy activities.

As adverts for the initiative hit TV screens across the UK this Friday, shoppers are being asked to pop into local stores and drop the Tesco blue token they receive at checkout into the voting box for one of three local schools or young people’s projects.

The grants awarded will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks and equipment for healthy activities.

Schools or children’s groups that could benefit from a Stronger Starts grant are also being asked to apply by visiting www.tescoplc.com/strongerstarts.

The scheme, supported by UK community charity Groundwork, replaces the former Tesco Community Grants funding programme.

Research from Groundwork found that 78 per cent of schools are currently having to provide food for children from their own budget.

Claire De Silva, Tesco’s head of communities, said: “We are so excited to be bringing thousands of schools and children’s projects our Stronger Starts grants. Our aim is to inspire children who deserve the opportunity to thrive and give our customers the chance to vote with their blue tokens for their local schools and children’s projects that need extra help.”

Schools and children’s groups will be able to apply via Groundwork for a grant of up to £1500 to providing food to kids 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 local community projects nominated by each store’s colleagues. Customers can then choose which of the three projects they’d like to support with a blue token.

Every three months the grant scheme will support 1350 schools with £1.35 million worth of funding in 675 communities across the UK.