SCHOOLS and charities are among 28 Wirral groups impacted by the coronavirus pandemic that have received emergency grants from Tesco.

The cash is part of the retailer's COVID-19 Community Fund - a £30million package of support to help local communities tackling the Coronavirus outbreak.

So far, a total of £14,000 has been given to groups across the local area since lockdown, with Tesco providing an extra £4million of extra funding to groups across the UK reacting to the pandemic.

The grants are part of the retailer's £30million package of support to help local communities tackling the Coronavirus outbreak.

Groups that have benefitted from the grant include: 

  • Wirral Multicultural Organisation
  • Rock Ferry Primary School
  • Neo Community
  • Building Bridges Wirral
  • Wirral Society of the Blind and Partially Sighted
  • The Oak Community Project
  • Bee Wirral C.I.C
  • Tomorrow's Women Wirral
  • The Local Carer's Network
  • Leasowe Play Youth & Community Association
  • Involve North West
  • Hoylake Holy Trinity Primary School
  • Heswall Disabled Children's Holiday Fund
  • Training Attention C.I.C
  • Caldy Rugby Club
  • AJ and Friends Association
  • Koala North West
  • Birkenhead YMCA
  • Make it Happen Birkenhead
  • JourneyMEN C.I.C
  • Wirral Ark
  • Wirral Hospice St John's
  • Gallier House C.I.C
  • Wirral Women & Children’s Aid
  • Shaftesbury Youth Club
  • Autism Together
  • AJ and Friends Association
  • The Clatterbridge Cancer Society

The supermarket is now encouraging even more groups in Wirral to apply for its £500 grants to help them in their work.

David Ford, local communications manager at Tesco in the North, said: "Due to the sustained need for the emergency support we're seeing from local community groups, we took the decision to extend the scheme's deadline beyond the original 12-week mark.

"We're already working with all kinds of groups up the length and breadth of the country, all of whom are in urgent need of a cash boost in order to go on providing local people with vital services, but we've widened this even further.

"Whether you are from a homeless charity, a foodbank, or a support network for vulnerable individuals, you could qualify for some immediate financial support."

Tesco Group's chief executive, Dave Lewis, said: "Our stores are at the heart of the communities we serve and as well as supporting our customers and colleagues, we want to help those who need it most, locally.

"We will significantly boost our food donations programme, to ensure food banks and community groups have the supplies they need; whilst giving extra resources to the British Red Cross and focus our Bags of Help scheme to deliver more community support where its most needed at this difficult time."

To apply for a share of funding through Bags of Help, go to www.tescobagsofhelp.org.uk