Scout group shortlisted for Tesco community funding

A VILLAGES Scout group is in the running for a cash boost.

The 1st Inkpen and Kintbury Scout Group are bidding in the current Tesco Community Grants initiative. Tesco works with community charity Groundwork to run its community funding scheme, in which grants of up to £1,500, £1,000 and £500 are awarded to local community projects.

Three groups in every community have been shortlisted to receive the award and shoppers vote at Tesco stores for who they think should take away the top grant. The 1st Inkpen and Kintbury Scout Group is one of the groups on the shortlist.

The group runs weekly meetings, camps and other activities to give children aged six to 14 the opportunity to enjoy fun and adventure, while developing their skills.

It is raising funds to build an extension to the existing Scout hut to provide storage facilities for equipment such as tents, stoves, pans, ropes, benches and adventure equipment.

Group Scout leader Ivan Osborne said: “To be able to store our equipment in a fit-for-purpose facility will make a significant difference to the way the groups are run, and will be a huge organisational benefit to the children.”

Voting is open in Tesco Hungerford in October, November and December and customers can cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out each time they shop.

Tesco’s Community Grants scheme has already provided more than £90m to 40,000 projects across Britain. Customers get the chance to vote for three different groups every time they shop. Every three months, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions are awarded funding.