SHOPPERS are being urged to help Hampshire community projects this autumn.

Tesco shoppers are being invited to cast their votes to help Hampshire Search and Rescue, Brendoncare Clubs and Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers bag up to £25,000.

The supermarket chain is marking its centenary with two special Bags of Help funding rounds.

After a successful first round, customer voting has now begun for the second raft of shortlisted groups.

In Hampshire, customers can cast their votes for shortlisted groups Hampshire Search and Rescue, Brendoncare Clubs and Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers, using blue tokens handed out at checkouts.

Grants of £25,000, £15,000 and £10,000 are up for grabs.

Bags of Help, run in partnership with the charity Groundwork, sees funding awarded to thousands of community projects every year.

Keith Jackson, Tesco’s Bags of Help manager, said: “We have been celebrating a century of delivering great value for our customers throughout 2019.

"Central to that have been our Centenary Grants, which aim to support groups and organisations who are helping to make a difference across Britain.

"We’re calling on our customers to vote in stores from October and show their support for these fantastic community causes."

Since the Bags of Help scheme began, £2,700,000 has been awarded to Hampshire projects.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, said: "This is an exciting time for Bags of Help, with many more communities given the opportunity to apply for larger amounts of funding that can make a positive, long-lasting legacy where they live."