St. Issell’s Church Choir is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects.

Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.

St. Issell’s Church Choir is one of the groups on the shortlist.

Their project is to purchase mobile digital equiment - a digital piano and all the equipment required to take it out and about.

Helen Perrett, the church organist, said: “We are delighted that our project has been accepted by Tesco for the Bags of Help voting by customers. We would like to buy musical digital equipment to enhance our musical contribution to worship; it will also enable us to take our music out into the community and begin to plan a musical festival in the church.

“As part of our project, Mick Booth has volunteered to raise funds by taking part in the Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim next year. He aims to collect a sponsor for each day of the year and so far has found 154 sponsors! This effort was also supported by Tesco in Pembroke Dock as they allowed us to promote our event in store last week. Please help us further by collecting a token when you go through the checkouts and pop it in our slot.”

Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.

Tesco’s Bags of Help project has already delivered over £43 million to more than 10,000 projects up and down the UK. Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups every time they shop. Every other month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions will be awarded funding.

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. To find out more, visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.