Grants give big boost to children in Portsmouth
Three good causes received a welcome cash boost when community-conscious colleagues at Tesco’s Portsmouth stores handed out grants worth £3,000.
Connors Toy Libraries was able to celebrate after receiving a cheque for £1,500, which will pay for toys that children can borrow and use at home to support their learning and development.
Another establishment to receive funding was Follow Your Dreamz. It was awarded £1,000 to provide children with uniforms and equipment.
The third good cause to be awarded funds was YMCA Fairthorne Group. It was given £500, which will be used to set up a vegetable garden for its Whale Island nursery children.
The funding came from Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme, in partnership with the Groundwork charity, which supports many Portsmouth community projects and good causes, giving away thousands of pounds.
Karen Drayton, manager at Connors Toy Libraries, said: “We are very grateful to Tesco for this funding. It will help a great many young people.
“Our Paulsgrove Toy Library session provides a hub for families to come together, and this funding will allow us to pay the rent, replenish toys and batteries, buy craft items and purchase refreshments items so that adults have a warm drink and children can enjoy a drink and snack.
“We are also able to identify families struggling financially or mentally, and provide advice, support or signposting where needed, preventing problems escalating and becoming more traumatic for those involved.
“In addition, we support parents with completing nursery and school applications, along with applying for funding for white goods, clothing and food items when we identify a family that is in need.”
Claire De Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, applauded Connors Toy Libraries’ essential work for its community.
She added: “We’re delighted that we can help groups and clubs such as Connors Toy Libraries. Stronger Starts invites our customers to use their blue tokens to vote for local schemes they feel will benefit children and young people, and it’s so good to see the impact that the funding makes.”
Portsmouth shoppers can support local school and children’s groups by dropping the Tesco blue token they receive at checkout into the relevant voting box as they leave the store.
Further information about Connors Toy Libraries can be found online at https://www.cctoystore.org.uk/
More information about Stronger Starts is available at https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk