from Tesco bag deal
Clubs urged to apply for cash generated by carrier bag sales
ANGLING clubs and fisheries across the UK are being urged to come forward and apply for millions of pounds of free cash which is being raised from the sale of Tesco carrier bags.
More than £12m is up for grabs as part of the Bags of Help scheme, created to fund environmental and green space projects across the country.
The scheme, which is being run by the charity, Groundwork, on behalf of the supermarket giant, is funded every time someone buys a 5p carrier bag at Tesco.
Hundreds of projects have benefited by as much as £12,000 since the scheme began in October last year.
Huddersfield-based Learn2fish has already successfully applied for a pot of cash.
The project, to introduce youngsters and the disabled to the sport at the club’s Woodhouse Mill Ponds fishery, will get at least £8,000 in improvement grants.
Project director Steve Kelly is now urging other clubs to follow suit. He told Angling Times: “It’s really simple – you just go on the
Bags of Help website, fill out the form and then, if you’re eligible, shoppers will vote for your project in store to determine how much cash you get.
“It’s hard to put into words what such a grant can do – we are building a dipping pond for students as well as improving disabled access at the fishery.
“There are not many clubs nowadays awash with cash, so this kind of grant can go a long way to increasing angling participation at all levels.
“Its not just the money which we will be benefiting from either. We have seen loads more interest in would-be anglers and community groups who want to try fishing because of the publicity the scheme has generated for us.”
Applications for the next round of funding are now open, and bosses at the scheme are urging projects to come forward and apply, including those from angling.
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork UK chief executive, said: “Bags of Help is helping to create better and greener places for everyone to enjoy across the country.
“We’ve been thrilled to see the diversity of projects that have applied for funding – from community gardens to angling projects and everything in between.
“Now the scheme is permanently open for applications, and because grants can now be used for the development of local outdoor spaces, we expect angling groups like Learn2fish will now have an even greater chance to benefit.”
“This kind of grant can help to increase angling participation at all levels”