Picture by Andrew Parsons / Parsons Media
A community group that works with teenagers at risk of getting caught up in knife crime is just one of more than 50,000 projects across the UK that have received funding through Tesco Community Grants since their inception.
The London-based group, Power2’s Teens and Toddlers, is one of thousands of projects that Tesco Community Grants have supported and proudly features as an example of the supermarket’s work across the UK, in Tesco’s Community Impact Report, published this week. Projects that tackle homelessness, support families of Servicepeople, encourage diversity and provide Covid 19 support are also highlighted.
The report, created in partnership with the charity Groundwork, who run the Tesco Community Grants scheme, celebrates the successes of the grant funding programme, which has been helping communities since 2015 and breaks down how the £100m of Community Grants was allocated over that time.
Since it began, Tesco has awarded £101,881,339 in funding to 50,880 community projects. The grant awards were decided by 738,402,011 votes cast by Tesco customers in stores across the UK using their iconic blue tokens.
Breakdown of grants by project focus:
| Project focus | No. of grants awarded | Funding provided |
| Improving health & wellbeing | 15,091 | £30,396,315 |
| Creating a better environment | 5160 | £17,260,217 |
| Physical improvements to an outdoor space | 3207 | £17,145,443 |
| Education, training, skills | 6540 | £11,187,705 |
| Sport | 4077 | £7,127,781 |
| Building better community relationships | 3599 | £6,123,605 |
| Community activities in an outdoor space | 1822 | £4,180,573 |
| Covid 19 emergency support | 8049 | £4,024,500 |
| Arts & culture | 1611 | £2,500,409 |
| Tackling food insecurity | 1724 | £1,934,791 |
| 50,880 | £101,881,339 |
Jason Tarry, Tesco UK & ROI CEO, said: “More than ever we are seeing how local groups are making a big difference to the lives of those in their communities. More recently during Covid and now during the current cost of living crisis, they are sources of hope and practical help. We are immensely proud to have been able to play a part in funding their amazing work through our Tesco Community Grants scheme.”
“Graham Duxbury, chief executive, Groundwork UK, said: “We’ve been supporting local communities to make their areas safer, stronger and more sustainable for more than 40 years and we know that some of the most effective solutions to the challenges communities face are the ones led by people who live there. There has never been a more important time to support the work being done by community groups, local charities and schools to keep people well and connected, to address hardship and to protect and improve the environment. The commitment Tesco have made to supporting communities has been phenomenal and we’ve been delighted to work with them to make sure funds get to where they’re needed most.”
The scheme is open to applications from community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations wanting to make a difference in their local area. Tesco customers and colleagues are also encouraged to nominate local good causes to be supported. Tesco customers in each store across the UK are given a blue token with their shopping to vote for the projects they think most deserve funding.
The programme has helped raise awareness of homelessness, funded breakfast clubs and school activities and supported veterans through charities based in our garrison towns. More recently it has helped get what’s needed most to families through funding for food, mental health support, lifesaving equipment and specialist resources.
