TESCO Bags of Help has responded to the current Covid-19 crisis by setting up a new fund to support local communities.

In order to respond to the emergency, a streamlined application and payment process have been created to make it easier to get funds out quickly.

The programme has provided a single payment award of £500 to over 22 organisations, in Evesham and the surrounding area, who are supporting vulnerable groups, as part of their emergency response in supporting local communities.

Ourside Youth group received money to help their outreach initiative, to enable them to keep in contact with the young people of Evesham.

Evesham and District Mental Health Support Services have used their two grants to help run a Covid 19 helpline, 9am-9pm seven days a week, to give those with mental health issues someone to talk things through at this trying time.

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They have also used this grant to begin to support face to face counselling by providing PPE, sanitising products and additional signage.

Caring Hands in the Vale have also been awarded two grants to keep in touch with the vulnerable and increase the food, household and baby products required.

Evesham Adventure Playground received £500 to assist with their ‘Bags of Play’ for the summer.

Evesham Sea Cadets were awarded £500 from the Covid19 grant to allow them to set up online sessions to continue to help their cadets.

A spokesman said: “We are delighted to announce that we have had confirmation today of a successful community grant of £500 to support our unit during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

“The grant will support the unit’s IT equipment enabling the unit to increase virtual support to our Cadets and Volunteers.

“Many thanks to our local Tesco community champion Lindsay for the ongoing support to the unit.

“This will be a fantastic boost to the unit and we are truly thankful for such support during these challenging times.”

Pershore Volunteer centre helped to train and security check people who wished to help support different individuals and groups within the local community, when they were needed most.

These are some of the many groups who have been assisted, with more applications being processed daily.

Lindsay Roach, Community Champion, Evesham Tesco, said: “During these very different times we want to support the local community in any way we can but the Covid 19 community grant has enabled lots of groups to spread the assistance available to more people in a very varied way.”

To see which organisations have been given a grant, go to www.eveshamjournal.co.uk/