How you can help Hartlepool United’s ground get a new sensory room for disabled visitors

The project by Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation has been shortlisted to receive a grant of up to £4,000 from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

It is intended to create a sensory space for children and adults with special needs at the Super 6 Stadium allowing them to experience Hartlepool United in a comfortable environment during the week and on match days.

Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to vote for the sensory room to receive the top grant.

Foundation Manager Keith Nobbs said: “We aim to set up a sensory room at The Super 6 Stadium to make football matches more accessible for fans with special needs in particular sensory needs such as autism.

“We appreciate that the match day experience is loud and busy and could be overwhelming and so a sensory room will provide a safe space which can be used to escape and feel safe and secure when everything becomes too much.

“Hartlepool United is such a huge part of the community and we want to ensure that the opportunity to support a local team is open to all.”

The idea has been welcomed by Hartlepool United Disabled Supporters Association (HUDSA).

Chair Neil Appleyard said: “I think the sensory room is a brilliant idea.

“A lot of people do need extra support. It is building on the match day experience for everybody.

“I’m all for it. If people get the chance to vote for it please do.”

Tesco teamed up with environmental organisation Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which awards grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from Tesco carrier bag sales to local projects.

Voting is open in all Tesco stores from Friday, March 1, to Tuesday, April 30, and customers can cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out each time they shop.

Alec Brown, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers. It’s such a special scheme because it’s local people who decide how the money will be spent in their community.

“There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see these come to life in hundreds of communities.”

The scheme has already delivered over £63 million to more than 20,000 projects across Britain.