Lost Chord calls out for votes to bag a share of bag charge fund
LEADING South Yorkshire dementia charity Lost Chord is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.
Tesco teamed up with community charity Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being 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. Lost Chord is one of the groups on the shortlist.
Lost Chord, which is based at the Wesley Centre in Maltby, is the charity that provides vital interactive musical experiences for people living with dementia in care homes and day centres across the region. With no known cure and little effective treatment, Lost Chord reaches out to people with dementia through music, song and dance therefore reducing the stigma and social isolation thus helping more people to live well with dementia.
Helena Muller, Lost Chord’s Founder and Chief Executive said: “At a time where social care is in crisis people with dementia in residential homes and day centres need the support of Lost Chord more than ever.
“Our experience tells us that it is vital to keep the brain stimulated for as long as possible and clinical evidence shows that the power of live music has a significant impact on this.
“Please make a difference and show your support for one of the most forgotten and vulnerable groups in society by voting for Lost Chord. In voting we are all showing how proud we are of something good coming out of Rotherham!
“Anybody who has seen the effect that our young professional musicians have on people with dementia at our many events across the local community every month will know just how important music is in reaching out to somebody who may have lost all other means of communicating with even their closest loved ones.
“Please do give us your support and your vote and help us to continue with this essential work in your communities.”
Voting is open in stores throughout May and June. 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 £28.5 million to more than 4,000 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.
Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for May and June. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see them 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.
