Hartlepool shoppers can help groups bag some cash

Tesco's Jill Telfer and Peter Leatherby at the launch of the Bags of Help initiative.

Supermarket Tesco has teamed up with Groundwork to launch its Bags of Help initiative, which sees grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to environmental and community projects in Hartlepool.

This month shoppers are being invited to head along to their local store and vote for who should take away which grant award.

The groups to benefit from the Tesco grant in Hartlepool are Summerhill, Hutton Henry Community Association and Hartlepool Heritage & Green Spaces Group.

Voting is open in store from February 27 until March 6.

Customers will be able to vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store.

Caroline Silke, head of community at Tesco, said: “The money raised by customers through the carrier bag levy will go directly to the local community through our Bags of Help initiative.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing how our customers will vote in Hartlepool and these three great local projects coming to life.”

The bag charge was introduced in England on October 5, having already raised millions for good causes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Nominations and applications for the next round of Bags of Help funding will open in April.

As well as applying direct, groups can also be nominated by people living in their local communities.