The Hollie Gazzard Trust is bidding for a cash boost from the Tesco Stronger Starts scheme.

Stronger Starts provides grant awards of up to £1,500 to local community projects, with a particular focus on children and young people.

Three groups in every community have been shortlisted to receive grant awards and Tesco customers can vote for the group they think should take away the top award in their local Tesco store.

Hollie Gazzard Trust is one of the groups on the shortlist in Tesco in Gloucester, the participating stores below:

Gloucester           2498      The Forum – Market Parade         Small unit            GL1 1RL

Gloucester           6819      Gloucester Sth Gt Exp     Small unit            GL1 1TP

Gloucester           2581      Gloucester           Large unit            GL1 2SG

Gloucester           6313      Ldn Rd Gloucester Exp    Small unit            GL1 3NU

Gloucester           5166      Lysons Ave Gloucs Exp    Small unit            GL1 5SY

Gloucester           2925      Longlevens Gloucs Exp   Small unit            GL2 0AW

Gloucester           6066      Gloucester Qued Exp      Small unit            GL2 2GT

Gloucester           3074      Quedgeley Extra               Large unit            GL2 4PF

Gloucester           4813      Hardwicke Exp   Small unit            GL2 4PY

Gloucester           6654      Gloucester Churchdown Small unit            GL3 1JN

Gloucester           5363      Gloucester Brck Extra     Large unit            GL3 4AA

Gloucester           6792      Gloucester Witcmb Exp  Small unit            GL4 0PG

Gloucester           6375      Gloucs Panswck Rd Exp  Small unit            GL4 4BS

Gloucester           2346      Gloucestr Mead Rd Exp  Small unit            GL4 5GL

Gloucester           5259      Eastern Av Glcstr Exp      Small unit            GL4 6QS

To check the location of any of the above stores, please go to the Tesco website here: http://www.tesco.com/store-locator/uk

Nick Gazzard said: ”We are really grateful to Tesco for the opportunity. The charity relies on the kindness and generosity of of local businesses and individuals to be able to continue to do what we do. The training we carry out in schools to educate young people on important issues is going from strength to strength. To all our loyal supporters – don’t forget to drop your blue tokens in to the Hollie Gazzard Trust section in Tesco in Gloucester in July/August – every vote counts!”

Voting is open in Tesco stores from July to end of September. Customers will cast their vote using a blue token given to them at the check-out each time they shop.

Tesco’s Stronger Starts – previously known as Tesco Community Grants – has already provided over £133 and over 65,000 projects across Britain.

This £5m Stronger Starts grant programme, delivered in partnership with Groundwork UK, helps schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and sports equipment for after school clubs.

Claire de Silva, Tesco UK Head of Communities and Local Media, said: Helping schools and children’s groups access the food and resources they need is vitally important in getting children a stronger start in life. Children with enough food have more energy, better concentration, and ultimately achieve more too.”

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “As a community charity, we have seen first-hand how schools and other groups supporting young people have been playing a much bigger role in ensuring children are getting a healthy start to the day and getting access to spaces and services to support physical activity and mental health. Family budgets are tight and school budgets are tight, but it’s so important that children stay fed, fit and focused, so we’re delighted to be able to prioritise these activities alongside Tesco with the Stronger Starts programme.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities, particularly those helping to provide food and giving children the support they need for a good start in life.

Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. To find out more visit tescoplc.com/strongerstarts

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