Dementia Adventure bags £4,000 from Tesco’s community grant scheme

For immediate release

Dementia Adventure is delighted to announce it has bagged £4,000 from Tesco’s Bags of Help community grant scheme.

Bags of Help is run in partnership with environmental charity Groundwork, and sees grants awarded to thousands of local community projects every year. Since launching in 2015, it’s provided more than £67 million to over 21,000 local community projects.

Millions of shoppers recently voted in stores up and down the country, and it can now be revealed that Dementia Adventure has been awarded nearly £4,000 by winning the vote that took place at the Dunmow, Essex branch.

Dementia Adventure believes in thinking differently about dementia. With the right support, people living with dementia can continue to enjoy outdoor activities, keep active and retain a sense of adventure in their lives. This funding will help Dementia Adventure deliver a programme of supported dementia holidays as an alternative to traditional respite.

Neil Mapes, Chief Executive, Dementia Adventure said:

“People with dementia and their carers can often find themselves spending a disproportionate amount of time indoors, resulting in unnecessary decline in well-being. They often feel that holidays, travel and outdoor activity are no longer available to them. Sometimes all that’s needed is a little support – which we provide - so that people with dementia can continue to enjoy doing the things they have always loved. Thanks to this funding, we will be able to continue to subsidise the cost of our holidays so that more people with dementia can benefit.”

Voting ran in stores throughout November and December 2018 with customers choosing which local project they would like to get the top award using a token given to them at the checkout.

Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups each time they shop. Every other month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions are awarded funding.

Alec Brown, Tesco’s Head of Community, said: “Bags of Help contributes funds to community projects up and down the country and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers voting in their local stores. We’re looking forward to seeing more projects brought to life.”

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down Britain to improve the local spaces and places that matter to them. The diversity of projects that are being funded shows that local communities have a passion to create something great in their area. We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”

In addition, to mark Tesco’s 100th year, they have announced two special voting rounds, Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants, in summer and winter 2019 with larger grant amounts available over wider geographic regions. Please look online for more information on if they can support your group either through the normal Bags of Help vote or Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants.

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.

Ends

Issued by Dementia Adventure

For further information please contact:

Bree Back, bree@dementiaadventure.co.uk, 01245 237548

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• So far Bags of Help has awarded over £67 million to more than 21,000 local community projects.
• For more information please visit: www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.
• Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants celebrates 100 years of great value for customers and communities by allowing customers to nominate and vote for community projects to receive funding grants of £25,000, £15,000 or £10,000. It will run in July/August and November/December. For any questions on Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants please call the Tesco press office on 01707 918 701.