A NEWCASTLE- Emlyn-based charity is nearly £5,000 better off which it is to invest in a new garden area thanks to the support from Tesco customers.

If you have shopped in Tesco in Cardigan recently you will probably have been given a little blue voting token as you passed through the check-out.

These tokens would have been deposited in the collection box to vote for the local community project of your choice.

Each month every Tesco in the local area donate the money they receive for their carrier bags to worthy causes. The charity Groundwork Changing Places, Changing Lives, which oversees the project, is passionate about creating greener space for people in the community to be able to explore their full potential.

HUTS Workshop was one of the three charities selected for the token voting and stood to receive either £1,000, £2,000, or nearly £5000.

After several weeks of token-posting the results are in and HUTS Workshop has received the fantastic sum of £4,640 which is going to be spent on improving the charity’s outside space.

Like Groundwork, HUTS is passionate about giving people the opportunity to explore their full potential. HUTS offer a variety of activities including paper crafting, woodwork, cookery and pottery to adults with mental health challenges. Now the charity can add gardening to that repertoire

“We have always wanted to create an outside space for our members and thanks to the money from the Tesco carrier bag scheme we can do just that,” said befriending co-ordinator Kim Bacon.

“HUTS is situated directly on the River Teifi in Newcastle Emlyn and the outside space we have is underused and in need of a make-over. Now we can look forward to watching the area develop into a space our members can enjoy creating and continue to enjoy in the years to come.

“We would like to say a big thank you to all of you who voted for us.“