Children and young people in Southampton hoped to be supported with funding through a new scheme.

Groups and charities who support young people are able to apply for Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme which will award funding for community projects.

It is hoped that more than 2000 projects will be awarded £1000 grants to support vital community work.

Since COVID-19, the Bags of Help Communities Fund has given £4m of support to over 8000 charities and groups for food, resources and emergency aid.

The scheme will run throughout October, November, December., with three grants, worth £1000, available in each voting region.

Qualifying organisations could include those supporting mental health, outdoor or educational activities, young carers, bereavement counselling and child poverty, vunerable at risk children.

The programme, which is run in partnership with community charity Groundwork, has already provided £83m of funding to more than 34,000 community projects across the UK.

Rhodri Evans, Local Communications Manager for the South West, said: “Young people have been among those most impacted by the pandemic, with schools closing across the country and many missing out on all important services impacted by lockdown.

“We’re encouraging any group who is working to support children and young people across the UK to apply for the new funding. We hope it can make a real difference to lives of so many around the country.”

To apply visit: tescobagsofhelp.org.uk