You can help maintain a safe and supportive environment for local young people, and all you have to do is log your vote when shopping at Tesco.

By casting your vote you’ll be helping Meriden Community Centre, which is run and managed by Watford Football Club’s Community Sports and Education Trust, to keep supporting local lives.

The Trust is focused on improving physical health and mental wellbeing, developing community cohesion and equipping people for the future. While these activities take place across Hertfordshire and Harrow,  much of the support the Trust provides to young people in Watford happens at the Meriden Community Centre.

On Mondays and Tuesdays, the Trust’s team run Youth Clubs for those aged 8 to 18, focusing on personal development through football and dance. On other weekdays, the Centre welcomes groups supporting toddlers, young dancers and children working to improve their English and Maths.  Many of the Trust’s activities are free, while the other groups are charged a small fee to use space at the Centre, helping them to keep their prices low and the Centre as accessible as possible.

This is only possible with the support of grants, and the Trust’s team is delighted to be included in the Tesco’s Stronger Start funding vote.

Stronger Starts provides grant awards of up to £1,500 to local community projects, with a particular focus on children and young people. This £5m Stronger Starts grant programme, delivered in partnership with Groundwork UK, helps schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and sports equipment for after school clubs.

Anytime you shop at one of the stores below – whether it’s your weekly cupboard stock-up or a meal deal – please ask staff for a blue token and show your support for the Trust’s efforts for young people in the local area. There are three great causes in the votes, and with your support the Trust can top the table and gain the maximum donation.

You can vote for the Trust at the following stores:

• Bushey Heath Express, WD23 1EL
• Leavesden Watford Express, WD5 0BT
• South Oxhey Express, WD19 6EG
• Shenley Express, WD7 9LP
• Watford Extra, WD17 2BD
• Watling Street, Radlett Express, WD7 7LA
• Watford Express, WD25 0EL
• Harcourt Road Express, WD23 3PP
• Watford Wipendell Express, WD18 7NB
• Watford, St Albans Road Express, WD24 4AU
• Watford High Street Express, WD17 2BJ
• Watford Langley Express, WD17 4BU

Steve Williams, Head of Facilities and Inclusion for the Trust added:

“We know how hard it can be for young people at the moment, and the projects we offer at the Meriden Community Centre, and provide rooms for, make a real difference for them. Every vote helps to support our efforts and the donation from Tescos will go directly towards maintaining, and improving, the facilities and work of our team. Thank you to everyone who casts their blue token for the Centre.”

Voting runs until the end of March, and the Trust’s team is grateful for all the support shown to it during this time.