Vote when you shop to support the Shipley Art Gallery's community garden

04 April 2018

Cast your vote at Tesco stores in Gateshead

Homemade bunting attached to a park railing


The Shipley Art Gallery is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of up to £4,000, up to £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects. 

Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.

The Shipley Art Gallery's community garden is one of the projects on the shortlist.

The Gallery, in collaboration with local café and community rooms The Nest, have been working on the Shipley Community Garden in the grounds of the gallery for residents to meet, learn and grow plants and vegetables in a social environment. The produce will be used in cookery workshops at the café to provide nutrition information, developing a raised awareness of healthy lifestyle choices. The garden will be open to everyone and will provide an ideal opportunity for education, friendship and volunteering in a green space where people can be active.

Voting is open Tesco stores throughout April. Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop. Vote for the Shipley Art Gallery at the following stores: Gateshead Trinity Square, Gateshead Express, Gateshead Hill Road, Rowlands Gill and Whickham. 

Tesco’s Bags of Help project has already delivered over £40 million to 9,700 projects up and down the UK. Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups every time they shop. Every other month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions will be awarded funding.

Alec Brown, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see these come to life in hundreds of communities.”

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “We’ve been thrilled to see the diversity of projects that have applied for funding, ranging from outdoor classrooms, sports facilities, community gardens, play areas and everything in between. We’re looking forward to learning the results of the customer vote and then supporting each group to bring their project to life.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. To find out more visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp