Thanks to local shoppers, two Norfolk Wildlife Trust projects have received the maximum funding from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative, with £4,000 each.
Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects.
During March and April, shoppers at Stalham Superstore, Hunstanton Superstore and Heacham Express voted with their tokens to support two wildlife initiatives:
Wild and Wonderful Broadland will take place on 14 July at NWT Hickling Broad. It is a celebration of Broads wildlife and surrounding communities with Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Broadland Local Group on their 40th anniversary. There will be free entry to the reserve and free boat trips and activities, from guided walks to dry wind surfing, from 11am to 3pm. The event is being run in association with Hickling Broad Sailing Club, Hickling Windsurfing Club, Whispering Reeds Boats Ltd and the Pleasure Boat Inn.
Wild about Home Dunes: A project at NWT Holme Dunes National Nature Reserve to create beautiful panels about the wildlife and landscape along the section of the Norfolk Coast Path that passes through the reserve, and in one of the reserve’s hides about the birdlife on the marshes. The new interpretation panels will be designed, produced and installed over the summer.
NWT has a third project currently shortlisted for Tesco shoppers at the Sheringham Cromer Road Superstore and the Mundesley Cromer Express.
Wild and Wonderful North Norfolk will celebrate the coast’s unique wildlife and the 40th anniversary of the Trust’s North Norfolk Local Group over four days, Thursday 20 September to Sunday 23 September, including an evening of presentations from renowned local artist, Robert Gillmor and acclaimed Norfolk photographer, Chris Knights. There will be free entry to the reserve on Saturday, activities on Sunday and a Bird Box Blitz – a mass bird box making project.
New Chief Executive of Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Pamela Abbott said: “We are very grateful to Tesco shoppers for supporting our two projects! We hope people will come and celebrate our Broadland wildlife at Hickling next month, and enjoy free access to the nature reserve and activities. Full details of what’s on offer are on our website and at the visitor centre. Do come and celebrate with us.”