Three south London primary schools have received a welcome cash boost thanks to community conscious customers at Tesco’s Deptford Blackheath Road Express store.
Over the months of July, August and September, customers voted in the most recent round of the retailer’s Stronger Starts programme, where three local schools, charities and community groups received a share of a £7,500 grant pot.
Friends of Meridian School in Greenwich received £5000 as part of Tesco’s Golden Grants event in September when one lucky customer drew a golden voting token in the retailer’s in-store draw and decided to award the special one-off grant to Meridian Primary School’s parent support group. The school will use the money to invest in improving its indoor and outdoor learning and play spaces for children.
Meridian Primary School Executive Headteacher Jo Graham said, “As a small school in the heart of Greenwich, Meridian is delighted to have received a grant to help breathe fresh life into its old Victorian building. Pupils can now look forward to the grant being used to uplift both the inside and outside of the school. As a small, inner-city school, Meridian does not receive the same scale of funding as others, making maintaining or decorating an old Victorian building very difficult.
This grant will make a tangible difference, providing our children with a welcoming and refreshed environment for them to learn and play”
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Eltham also received £1,500 which it will use to renew outdoor learning facilities for its reception children. The school hopes this will keep children engaged in their learning as they progress through the school day. Finally, Fossdeane Primary School in Charlton received £1,000 to put towards a new sensory room to support children with complex needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Deptford Blackheath Road Express store manager Seb Thangarajah said, “We are delighted to see three local primary schools awarded a share of £3,000 through Tesco Stronger Starts where customers use their blue tokens to vote for local schemes they feel will benefit children and young people in their local area. It’s great to see the impact that the funding makes and I encourage more local schools, charities and community organisations to apply for a Stronger Starts grant to help fund their work in the local community.”
The Stronger Starts scheme, in partnership with the Groundwork charity, aims to support schools, charities and local community projects across the UK by giving customers the chance to vote using a blue voting token given to them in store. Local causes chosen can then receive a grant of up to £500, £1,000 or £1,500.
Customers across London can support local organisations and groups by dropping the Tesco blue token they receive at checkout into the relevant voting box as they leave the store.
For further information about Stronger Starts and to apply for a grant, head to https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk
