Tesco Ireland has announced the launch of an exciting initiative, Tesco Community Fund, which will see €1million donated annually to local good causes throughout Ireland. TV presenter, Kathryn Thomas, met with the store managers from Mayo recently, to support the launch of the initiative and is calling on all local good causes in Mayo to get involved. Every six weeks, each Tesco store in Mayo will donate up to €1,000 (€500 in smaller stores ) between three local good causes in its local community. Customers will decide how the funding is shared by voting for their preferred cause in store. From this week on, every time customers shop in any Tesco store in Mayo, they will receive a token of goodwill to place in the donation box of the local good cause they would most like to support. Every six weeks, the number of tokens is counted and up to €1,000 is distributed proportionally between three local good causes. The more tokens a local good cause gets the larger share of the donation they will receive.
Catherine Swift, store manager, Tesco Castlebar said: “Our stores in Mayo are at the heart of hundreds of communities across Ireland, and as a company we really want to positively contribute to each community in which we operate. We are delighted that through our Tesco Community Fund we will be donating up to €1,000 every six weeks between three local good causes in Mayo and that our customers will have a say in how the funding is shared.”
The Tesco Community Fund is just one of a number of programmes run by the retailer to support local communities and good causes. Tesco colleagues have raised over €13million for its Charity of the Year partners since 2001. Most recently Tesco has raised €2m for it Charity of the Year AWARE. Tesco’s 26 community champions collectively dedicate 20,000 hours to community work every year.
Tesco Mayo Stores nominated the following charities for the first six week phase of the Tesco Community Fund Initiative. Tesco Westport nominated Augahgower Athletics, Westport Ladies GAA and Westport Utd. Tesco Swinford nominated Console Supporting Depression and Suicide, Rosin Tansy Fund and Meals on Wheels. Tesco Claremorris nominated Rainbow Programme, Dalton Nursing Home and Curam Family Support. Tesco Castlebar nominated Cystic Fibrosis Mayo Unit Airc: Supporting Children in Mayo with Disabilities and Castlebar Order of Malta. Tesco Ballinrobe nominated Pieta House, Creann Mor and The Alzheimer’s Society. While Tesco Ballina nominated St Nicholas School Ballina, Ballina Boxing Club and
Ballina Community Centre.
