UKSA receives Tesco Community Grant to benefit 50 Year 6 islanders

UKSA has announced that it has received a Tesco Community Grant which it confirms will go towards its Test the Water programme benefitting Year 6 islanders.

Achieved through customers choosing UKSA as a beneficiary with tokens provided within Tesco stores between 1 January and 31 March 2022, the £1,500 grant will fund 50 Year 6 island children to participate in a free half-day watersports session, in a bid to support all young islanders gain water-confidence alongside introducing them to sailing.

As well as covering aspects of water safety, which is crucial to island life, the sessions are designed to develop confidence and key skills including communication, resilience and teamwork.

Amy Sweeting, director of development and fundraising at UKSA said: “The Test the Water programme was developed to make a real, tangible difference to young people in UKSA’s community and we are really achieving that. It’s wonderful that locals have chosen our charity for the grant and that children on our doorstep can directly benefit from the funds. We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that 32 percent of children on the Island live in poverty*, without the opportunity to reach their full potential and need to ensure opportunities like this continue to exist and grow.”

Since 2014, over 9,000 Year 6 students have taken part in the Test the Water programme and in the forthcoming academic year (2022/23) 1400 children will have the opportunity to take part in a half-day session from 41 local primary schools.

Claire de Silva, Tesco’s head of community, said: “Tesco Community Grants help support local good causes like UKSA and especially those projects supporting young people, those providing food, and local causes close to our colleagues’ hearts.”

Tesco Community Grants is run in partnership with community focused charity Groundwork, which has awarded grants to thousands of local community projects every year. The scheme, previously Tesco Bags of Help – has already provided over £90 million to more than 40,000 projects across Britain.

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “Tesco Community Grants continue to give local projects the boost they need to help their communities thrive. We are pleased to have been able to help so many local good causes over the years and look forward to seeing what community organisations can achieve in the future with the right resources.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. To find out more visit www.tesco.com/communitygrants.

*According to End Child Poverty https://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk