Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme supports people sleeping rough in Rochdale

Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme

Shoppers are being invited to cast their votes for three Rochdale groups in line for funding through a special round of Tesco’s community grant scheme, Bags of Help. Bags of Help is providing £105,000 this winter to community projects and groups tackling rough sleeping in the Greater Manchester area.

Tesco decided to hold this special funding round after listening to feedback from their colleagues and the community on the issues that really matter to them and is inviting people in Rochdale to vote their chosen project out of the three shortlisted throughout November and December.

Customers will cast their vote for their favourite project using a token given to them at the check-out each time they shop.

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, The Bond Board and Depaul UK have been nominated and shortlisted for the vote in Rochdale.

The Bags of Help initiative, which is run in partnership with Groundwork, sees the money raised from the sale of carrier bags awarded to thousands of local community projects every year.

Jane Lawrie, Tesco Group Communications Director said: “Bags of Help is all about responding to the issues that matter to our communities.

“We are delighted that since launching in 2016, the scheme has awarded £1.8m of grants to over 500 projects in Greater Manchester.”

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “This is a great opportunity for local people to vote for projects delivered by charities and community groups that make a real difference to the lives of homeless people in Greater Manchester.”  

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Tesco’s generous offer of funding for some of our on-the-ground projects working to end the need for rough sleeping by 2020 is to be welcomed.

“This kind of innovative approach chimes perfectly with Greater Manchester doing things differently when it comes to tackling this humanitarian crisis.

“Our response to homelessness and rough sleeping in the city-region has improved dramatically in recent months.

“We have led the way in co-ordinating efforts across the public, private and third sectors, responding proactively to a problem that needs an urgent solution.”

Bags of Help grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 are available every two months in each of the 575 local voting regions across England, Scotland and Wales.