THE PHOENIX CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION 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 up to £4,000, up to £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.

THE PHOENIX CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION is one of the groups on the shortlist.

PROJECT DETAILS: GARDENING PROJECT FOR DISABLED, VULNERABLE, TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN.

We have found that in some cases disabled/disadvantaged children do not have access to outdoor facilities, we want to change that with our gardening project and your help!

We are in the process of completing a facility where many different groups (special needs schools, children with special needs and disabilities) can access our team of miniature Shetland ponies, along with our range of small farm animals and our very special reindeer. We have created a beautiful sensory garden, a delightful picnic area close to the animals giving the children a safe and controlled environment to enjoy. We have also completed an installation of a disabled toilet facility, and a music therapy room which is proving to be successful. We have already seen the results of encouraging children to plant bulbs and flowers in the sensory garden and have been asked to create an allotment style area where the children can grow vegetables, which we are hoping to do with raised bedding for ease of access. We are now working towards a specific gardening area to really focus on planting, growing vegetables, harvesting and hatching eggs.

“We have found that in some cases disabled/disadvantaged children do not have access to outdoor facilities and have no real knowledge or experience of the environment. These children absolutely love the facility, they gain a real zest for life being so involved with the care of the animals. Marked improvement in not only their physical ability, but also mental state has been recorded by their families and carers. Giving these children the opportunity to bond with and care for the animals, and nurture the plants gives them a real sense of achievement and self-worth”. Anita Withers – Collections Manager
Voting is open in all Tesco stores throughout March and April. 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 £40 million to 9,700 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.

Alec Brown, Head of Community at Tesco, said:

 “We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for March and April. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see these come to life in hundreds of communities.”

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said:

 “We’ve been thrilled to see the diversity of projects that have applied for funding, ranging from outdoor classrooms, sports facilities, community gardens, play areas and everything in between. We’re looking forward to learning the results of the customer vote and then supporting each group to bring their project to life.”

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.

We’d like to introduce you to our latest edition; Pot Man. He has lived for many years in the garden of Laura & Peter Cooper. Laura was a teacher at our local school in Packington. She was truly a champion for all children who needed that little bit of extra support.

The Pot Man has been kindly donated to The Phoenix Children’s Foundation by Laura & Peters Son, to hopefully continue to inspire children in the kind and loving way Laura inspired and supported so many.

Our gardening project is flourishing beautifully now thanks to the generosity of funders and supporters, the children who have worked so hard on it, and of course the nice weather!

Many of the children we support, including Sophie who is pictured in these photos, have spent the last few months learning about horticulture, taking care of the plants and gaining a real sense of achievement from seeing what they have planted grow.

Sophie has been coming to us for quite a long time now.  She has complex needs but loves animals and through her work with the ponies, and the support of her family, she is improving in confidence and social skills. Sophie has really enjoyed helping with the garden and socialising with the other children who come from other schools and groups and, as you can see from these pictures, she is incredibly proud of how beautiful the garden is looking.

We owe huge thanks to Richard Lovatte for all his advice on the potatoes, Sheila Barnard for the plants, peas and advice on feeding plants and Peter Swift for his endless patience with Nita who clearly has not a clue!