Community grants available for Plymouth’s armed forces charities

Charities and organisations serving the garrison city of Plymouth have the chance to share in more than £45,000 of funding this April, May and June.

Groups supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families across the city are being invited to take part in a dedicated round of Tesco’s community grant scheme.

The initiative, partnership with community charity Groundwork, sees funding awarded to thousands of community projects every year. This April, the supermarket is putting a special focus on armed forces in garrison cities and towns.

Nominations for Plymouth charities are being invited until 7 March and the shortlist will be revealed ahead of the store voting, which begins in stores from April until June. Customers will cast their vote using a blue token given to them at the check-out each time they shop, and awards of £1,500, £1,000 and £500 will be granted.

The funding is part of Tesco’s long-standing support of military charities, which this year sees them sponsor Armed Forces Day on 26 June, celebrating the contribution of members of the armed forces past and present. Tesco, a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, employs more former military personnel than any other business in the UK.

Claire de Silva, Tesco’s Head of Community, said: “Tesco’s founder Sir Jack Cohen established the business with his WWI demob money, and supporting our armed forces has always been important to us.

“I am delighted that we have been able to create this special Community Grant funding round to give a boost to charities and organisations serving our garrison cities and towns.”

Anyone can nominate a project, and organisations and groups looking to apply for the special funding round should visit www.tescocommunitygrants.org.uk