Three local projects supporting children and young people are hoping to secure vital funding through Tesco’s Blue Token scheme, with shoppers across Swindon being invited to decide which cause receives the largest grant.
The latest round of community voting features the 19th Swindon Scout Group, Friends of William Morris and Malmesbury & District Foodbank, all of which are seeking support for initiatives aimed at improving the wellbeing of young people.
The scheme offers grants of £500, £1,000 and £1,500, with the final amounts determined by the number of votes cast by Tesco customers in participating stores.
The funding forms part of Tesco’s wider Fruit & Veg for Schools programme, delivered in partnership with community charity Groundwork. The initiative supports projects that help children and young people access healthy food while learning more about nutrition and wellbeing.
Projects eligible for funding include breakfast clubs, holiday food programmes, healthy snack schemes, community pantries, cookery sessions and food-growing initiatives that encourage children to understand where their food comes from.
Among the organisations hoping to benefit is the 19th Swindon Scout Group, which plans to organise a weekend camp featuring around 30 outdoor activities. The event would give young people the opportunity to meet Cub Scout groups from across England while taking part in adventurous activities, with meals provided throughout the weekend.
Friends of William Morris is also seeking support for a project designed to create a dedicated calm space for pupils with special educational needs, while also providing wider emotional wellbeing support for children attending the school.
Meanwhile, Malmesbury & District Foodbank hopes to use any funding awarded to help support children who receive free school meals during the summer holidays, a period when many families face increased pressure due to the absence of school-based meal provision.
Claire de Silva, Tesco’s Head of Community, said the programme was designed to help organisations tackling food insecurity and encouraging healthier lifestyles among young people.
She said: “Every child deserves the chance to enjoy healthy food and build the foundations for a stronger future, so we want to support the brilliant schools and community groups in Swindon helping children and young people access nutritious food.
“Whether that’s a breakfast club, a pantry, cookery sessions or a project that helps children grow and try new foods, we’d encourage local organisations to apply for the grants – and we’d love shoppers to get involved when the customer vote comes to their local store.”
Customers can vote by placing the blue token they receive at the checkout into the collection box for their chosen project as they leave the store.
Each round of voting features three local causes, with the project receiving the most tokens awarded the top grant. The remaining organisations also receive funding, ensuring all shortlisted projects benefit from community support.
The programme has provided thousands of pounds to good causes across the Swindon area in recent years, helping schools, charities and youth organisations deliver practical support for children and families.
Applications for future funding rounds remain open to schools and community groups running projects with a clear focus on healthy food and nutrition for young people.
Photo caption: Local shoppers can vote for one of three projects supporting children and young people through Tesco’s latest Blue Token community funding scheme.
