Secret World Wildlife Rescue is appealing to Tesco customers in their local area to help them secure a share of a £12.5 million carrier bag charge fund.

Tesco has teamed up with Groundwork on its Bags of Help initiative, which see grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the five pence bag levy – being awarded to environmental and greenspace projects.

Three groups in each of Tesco’s 416 regions have been shortlisted to receive the cash award.

Secret World Wildlife Rescue, based in East Huntspill, has made the shortlist and is appealing to local shoppers to cast their votes in their nearby Tesco stores to help them win the top grant.

David Foulds, CEO of Secret World, said: “We rescue more than 5,000 injured and orphaned animals every year. It is a big job but as a charity, we rely entirely on the generosity of our volunteers and supporters.

“Secret World has recently entered a new phase of development and is undergoing some much-needed improvement work. We’re hoping these changes will help us reach even more people and inspire them to care for wildlife.

“The Tesco Bags of Help initiative couldn’t have come at a better time for us. We hope the community will support our efforts and will vote for us when shopping at their local Tesco stores.”

Voting is open in stores from 31^st October to 13^th November. Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in-store each time they shop.

Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “The first round of the Bags of Help initiative was a fantastic success.

“In total 1,170 community groups were awarded £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 – that’s a massive £11.7 million being invested into local projects.

“We are already seeing some great results from groups transforming their own environmental and greenspace areas.

“We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for round two. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see them come to life in hundreds of communities.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

About Secret World Wildlife Rescue

• Secret World Wildlife Rescue is a leading wildlife rescue centre based in East Huntspill in Somerset.
• Secret World (or Bluebell Sett as it was then known) was founded in 1992 by Pauline Kidner.
• In 2005, Secret World Wildlife Rescue grew into a 24/7, 365 days a year wildlife rescue centre, caring for over 5,500 sick, injured and orphaned animals each year.

About Tesco Bags of Help

• 1,248 organisations from Tesco’s 416 regions up and down the UK will receive a share of the Bags of Help fund.
• The initiative is supported by money from the five pence charge levied on single-use carrier bags
• More than 2,800 groups up and down the country applied for grants from the scheme. These were whittled down to three in each of Tesco’s regions
• For more information please visit: http://www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp

For media information please contact:
Sarah-Jane Freni
Account Director
Shooting Star
0117 3131120
sarahjane@weareshootingstar.co.uk

[SWWR02TescoBagsofHelp]