Tesco shoppers in Coleraine can search for lucky golden token this Saturday to help local projects

As part of the supermarket’s ‘Stronger Starts’ campaign, between 12 noon and 1pm, shoppers in 100 Tesco stores can take a lucky dip to find a gold version of Tesco’s famous blue voting token.

Customers who find a gold token will be able to choose which local school or community project will receive a £5,000 Golden Grant to spend on equipment or healthy food to help give children a stronger start in life.

In Coleraine, the three local recipients vying for a chance of being awarded the Golden Token and an extra £5,000 are Millburn Community Association, which is raising funds for a three-week summer camp for local disadvantaged children, Paul’s Legacy, with a campaign to provide free, registered defibrillators to the local community, and Street Soccer NI, a charity that uses football to bring positive change to disadvantaged groups, including the homeless and long-term unemployed.

Claire De Silva, Head of Communities for Tesco, said: “Right now, £5,000 can make a massive difference to a school or community project and help them give children a stronger start in life. Our Stronger Starts campaign has already funded so many groups and schools right across the UK and we can’t wait to see what these Golden Tokens can do in more communities across the country.

“We’re giving customers who visit these 100 stores the chance to make a difference to a school or group that’s doing amazing work on their doorstep.”

Golden Grants are awarded twice a year and are part of Tesco Stronger Starts, a £5m grant programme in partnership with Groundwork UK. The grants are there to help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.

Schools and children’s groups can apply via Groundwork for a grant by going to www.tescoplc.com/strongerstarts Successful applications will go to a vote in their local Tesco store where customers choose which of the three projects they’d like to support by voting with a blue token.