ALMOST £100,000 of funding has been shared by 22 local projects and groups through the Tesco Bags of Help scheme.

Isabel Kirkland, Community Champion at Tesco Auchinleck, hosted a celebration in the store which was attended by representatives of some of the beneficiaries.

Community groups, charities and schools across the Auchinleck, Cumnock and surrounding area are receiving more than £98,000 between them.

The cash will help established groups already bringing benefits to neighbourhoods as well as get new projects going elsewhere.

These range from providing essentials for families with new babies, encouraging youth football, designing local signage, creating a sensory garden, developing a community website and holding an outdoor music festival, to supporting young volunteers and giving them a spirit of adventure.

Emma Halliday of greenspace Scotland said: “We’re very proud to be involved in Bags of Help. To have secured over £98,000 of funding between them is a tremendous achievement and will make a huge difference to people across this part of East Ayrshire.

“These projects are at the heart of their communities and it’s fantastic to see how the funding is helping locally.”

Tesco teamed up with greenspace Scotland and Groundwork to launch Bags of Help with the money raised from carrier bag charges in stores.

Tony McElroy, Tesco’s head of communications in Scotland, said: “It’s wonderful to see these projects come to life and the developments show first-hand how a Bags of Help grant can help transform local communities.

“There has been great enthusiasm for the initiative from both Tesco colleagues and our customers.

“We are hugely excited for the future as Bags of Help continues to grow and help even more groups across the UK.”

Three community projects in each region are voted on by Tesco customers every time they shop, using a blue token given to them at the checkout. Projects to be voted on change every two months.

Funding from £1,000 to £4,000 is now available. For more information visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp or pop into Tesco Auchinleck and talk to Community Champion Isabel.