GWENT Wildlife Trust (GWT) has bagged £5,000 from a supermarket funding scheme.

The trust’s Magnificent Marshy Mammals project has won the funding as part of Tesco’s Bags of Help initiative.

The scheme sees grants of up to £5,000, all raised from the 5p carrier bag levy, being awarded to thousands of local community projects every year. 

Millions of shoppers voted in stores up and down the country and work will now begin on bringing the project to life.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, GWT’s Magnificent Marshy Mammals Project focuses on the wetland mammals found on the Gwent Levels, a nationally important wetland landscape in south east Wales such as water voles and otters.

Alice Rees, Water Vole Project Officer, said: “We are so grateful to shoppers in Tesco for choosing our project to win top prize!

“We can’t wait to bring more children to take part in our outdoor learning sessions at Magor Marsh. Not only will we have a positive impact on the education of the children who visit us, we will also improve their health and wellbeing.

“Outdoor learning makes children happier, healthier and fitter and they will gain a greater love and understanding of the wildlife on their doorstep.”

Lindsey Crompton, Tesco’s head of community, said: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response from our customers. The great thing about Bags of Help is that local people are invited to decide how the money will be spent in their community. We can’t wait to see the projects come to life.”

Voting ran in stores throughout January with customers choosing which local project they would like to get the top award using a token given to them at the check-out.

Since launching in 2015, Bags of Help has awarded more than £27 million across more than 3,500 local projects.

Groundwork’s national chief executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “Bags of Help continues to fund thousands of projects across the UK.”

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 at www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp