Derry schools secure Tesco windfall to fight food poverty
Nursery and Preschool Naíscoil an Phiarsaigh Doire Trasna in Derry and primary school Gaelscoil na Speíríní, in Magherafelt, have received funding to support children and young people’s access to healthy food in the community.
Two schools and good causes in Derry are celebrating after sharing Tesco grants worth £2,000 to help young people.
Nursery and Preschool Naíscoil an Phiarsaigh Doire Trasna in Derry and primary school Gaelscoil na Speíríní, in Magherafelt, were selected in the latest round of Tesco’s Fruit and Veg Grants scheme, with grants of £1,500, £1,000 and £500 awarded following a customer vote in store.
Naíscoil an Phiarsaigh Doire Trasna received the top grant of £1,500, which will go towards their Healthy Snacks and Play project. The initiative offers quality snacks including fruit, whole grain foods, and dairy or plant-based options to promote positive eating habits among all pupils.
Primary school Gaelscoil na Speíríní received £500, which will support an essential Breakfast Club, as many pupils go to school on an empty stomach due to the increasing cost of living.
The funding was awarded through Tesco’s Fruit and Veg Grants scheme, with customers voting for the schools and good causes they wanted to support by dropping their token into the relevant box in store. Each funding round features three local projects, with grants awarded based on the number of tokens received.
Tesco is keen to support schools and community groups with projects that have a clear food focus for young people, including breakfast clubs, holiday food provision, access to healthy snacks for youth groups, community pantries, cookery and nutrition sessions, and food-growing projects that help children learn where food comes from.
The grants support Tesco’s wider Fruit & Veg for Schools ambition, giving schools and community groups funding for healthy food projects as the retailer works to help more than one million schoolchildren get fruit and vegetables through its school and community programmes.
Nora McGowan, Committee Member at Naíscoil an Phiarsaigh Doire Trasna, said: “With the support of this grant from Tesco, we hope to provide nutritious, healthy snacks to every child in our care. The support will also lift a financial burden from both the pre-school and the families we serve, making healthy food accessible to all regardless of background. It ensures that every child, regardless of home circumstances, receives proper nourishment in a caring, educational environment.”
Claire de Silva, head of community at Tesco, said: “We’re delighted that we can help groups and clubs in Co. Derry.
“Organisations such as Naíscoil an Phiarsaigh Doire Trasna do such amazing work for the community they serve, being a transformative force for individuals and enhancing lives.
“We’re encouraging more schools and community groups to apply for funding for projects that help children access healthy food, learn where it comes from and build healthier habits.”
Schools and community groups can apply for funding in future rounds via Tesco, as the retailer looks to support more local projects helping children and young people access healthy, nutritious food. In recent years, thousands of pounds have been donated to good causes in Co. Derry/L’Derry.
For more information about the Tesco Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme and to find out how to apply for a grant, visit: https://www.tescoplc.com/fruit-and-veg-grants