People in Mid Ulster can vote for local school and community projects supporting children’s access to healthy food
A trio of Mid Ulster schools and good causes are in the running for much-needed funds to help young people.
Irish Medium Primary School Gaelscoil na Speíríní, the Dungannon Amateur Swimming Club and Orritor Primary School and Nursery Unit have been selected in the latest round of voting in Tesco’s Free Fruit & Veg grants programme with £500, £1,000 and £1,500 available – and customers can now vote for the one they want to support.
The programme is open to initiatives in Mid Ulster that have a clear food focus for young people, including breakfast clubs, holiday food provision, access to healthy snacks for youth groups, community pantries, cookery and nutrition sessions, and food-growing projects that help children learn where food comes from.
The grants form part of Tesco’s wider Fruit & Veg for Schools ambition, giving schools and community groups funding for healthy food projects as the retailer works to help more than one million schoolchildren get fruit and vegetables through its school and community programmes, run in partnership with community charity Groundwork.
Gaelscoil na Speíríní in Magherafelt is seeking funding to establish an essential breakfast club for children who may not have access to food at home before the school day begins. The initiative would ensure pupils receive a nutritious meal each morning, helping them start the day ready to learn, participate and thrive.
Also in line for funding is the Dungannon Amateur Swimming Club, which is looking to use the money it receives introduce a breakfast club for its young swimmers. As well as providing meals tailored to the needs of performance athletes, the club wants the initiative to send a clear message to its members: that their wellbeing, development and success truly matter.
Lastly, the Orritor Primary School and Nursery Unit will use the grant it gets for its Outdoor Equipment Project, which aims to bring play to life across the school’s playground and outdoor learning areas by providing high-quality, engaging equipment that encourages active, creative and inclusive fun during break and lunchtime.
Claire de Silva, head of community at Tesco, said: “Every child deserves the chance to enjoy healthy food and build the foundations for a stronger future, so we want to support the brilliant schools and community groups in Mid Ulster.”