SHOPPERS in Newton Abbot are being encouraged to vote for local organisations and schemes that help to give children their strongest start in life.

As adverts for Tesco’s Stronger Starts initiative hit TV screens from 18 August, Newton Abbot customers can visit their nearest store and drop the blue token they receive at checkout into the voting box for one of three local schools or young people’s projects.

The initiative’s aim is to support schools and children’s groups with grants of up to £1,500 to provide nutritious food and healthy activities that aid physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.

Two out of the three blue token voting boxes by the Newton Abbot checkouts will be dedicated to local schools, and the third will be for local community projects nominated by each store’s colleagues. Customers can choose which of the three projects they’d like to support by voting with a blue token.

Schools or children’s groups in Newton Abbot that could benefit from a Stronger Starts grant are also being asked to apply by visiting the following website.

The scheme, supported by UK community charity Groundwork, replaces the former Tesco Community Grants funding programme.

Recent research from Groundwork found that 78% of schools are currently having to provide food for children from their own budget. In addition, Stronger Starts research carried out by Tesco in July found that more than half (51%) of parents agree that their child struggles to concentrate at school if they do not have breakfast.