Tesco Bags of Help will aid child’s play

YOUNGSTERS of all abilities will benefit from improved play facilities thanks to a grant scheme from Tesco.

Money from the supermarket giant’s Bags of Help initiative will go towards installing an easily accessible, inclusive roundabout on the village recreation ground at Stoke Golding.

A sum of £4,000 could help deliver the project which is being spearhead- ed by the parish council - but only if shoppers vote for the cause.

Throughout November and December anyone shopping at Tesco will receive a token which they can use to vote for one of the three nominated local Bags of Help causes.

The venture with the most votes gets £4,000, the second, £2,000 and the third £1,000.

Parish councillor Nicola Smith said: “The project will cost around £11,000 and we have just over £6,000 from the borough’s Parish Community Initiative Fund. But to successfully receive this we have to secure match funding. We are really pleased to have been nominated, now we just need people to vote for us.”

The specially-designed roundabout is flush to the floor allowing children with mobility problems and those who use wheelchairs to still enjoy the spinning sensation.

A review of the existing equipment at the park revealed the roundabout was reaching its sell-by date and so the idea of replacing it emerged.

Nicola said: “We decided to try and get a new inclusive roundabout so it would be more accessible for children of all abilities.

“We don’t have anything like it currently so it would be opening up more opportunities for the community and hopefully attract more users to the park from the village and the wider area.”

Tesco Bags for Help is run in partnership with environmental and social change organisation Groundwork. Grants are given out every two months and three schemes are chosen for funding in each of its 565 UK regions.

The money comes from the plastic bag levy charged by the store, which in August did away with the 5p single use carriers and now offer a ‘bag for life’ for 10p.

Green Towers Hinckley Club for Young People is also one of the three nominees. Club staff hope to use the money they receive, however much it may be, to buy new roller skates for the youngsters to use.

A spokesman said: “We offer young people in Hinckley a safe and fun place to come and enjoy roller skating with their friends. The club desperately needs to replace old, worn-out skates with new ones to ensure this activity can continue.”