SHOPPERS planning on visiting a Tesco store in Basingstoke this Saturday are in for a surprise as the supermarket chain has shared an important message.

As part of the Stronger Starts campaign, between 12noon and 1pm on Saturday, September 23, shoppers in 100 Tesco stores can take a lucky dip to find a gold version of Tesco’s famous blue voting token.

Customers at the Popley Basingstoke Express store who find a gold token will be able to choose which school or community project will receive a £5,000 Golden Grant to spend on equipment or healthy food to help give children a stronger start in life.

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The Golden Grants are being supported by Diversity star and Kiss Breakfast presenter Jordan Banjo, who helped to launch Tesco’s Stronger Starts campaign in July.

Jordan said: “Right now, £5,000 can make massive difference to a school or community project and help them give children a stronger start in life, so get down to your local store and try and find that golden token.”

Golden Grants are awarded twice a year and are part of Tesco Stronger Starts, a £5m grant programme in partnership with Groundwork UK. The grants are there to help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.

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Jason Tarry, Tesco UK CEO, said: “Schools and local projects are vital in supporting our children and our communities. We’re giving customers who visit these 100 stores the chance to make a difference to a school or group that’s doing amazing work on their doorstep.”

Schools and children’s groups can apply via Groundwork for a grant by going to tescoplc.com/strongerstarts. Successful applications will go to a vote in their local Tesco store where customers choose which of the three projects they’d like to support by voting with a blue token.

The competition is only running at the Popley Basingstoke Express store, no other stores in Basingstoke will have the competition running.