Electric Storm Youth Calls for Community Votes to get a share of Tesco’s Stronger Starts Fund

Electric Storm Youth is asking for crucial community support to secure a grant of up to £1,500 from the Tesco Stronger Starts scheme. The funding would directly support the provision of fun and educational youth sessions during the school holidays. This will provide families with access to safe and affordable activities for young people aged 10 to 18 in the local area.

Stronger Starts provides grant awards of up to £1,500 to local community projects with a particular focus on children and young people. Three groups in every community have been shortlisted to receive grant awards, and Tesco customers can vote for the group they think should take away the top award in their local Tesco store.

Electric Storm Youth is one of the groups on the shortlist in Tesco stores across Worthing, and Durrington.

If successful, this funding will be used to run a range of engaging and supportive activities for young people aged 10-18 during the school holidays. The goal is to ensure young people in the local area can easily access opportunities that help them build skills, confidence, and positive peer relationships.

ESY also provides essential services like mental health support and young carers programmes alongside term time and holiday sessions. This grant is specifically focused on boosting the school holidays activities timetable, ensuring these vital social and developmental opportunities are available to everyone.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for the Tesco Stronger Starts grant," said Karen Jefford, CEO. "Funding from this grant would enable us to ramp up the range of activities that we offer local young people. For us, this is about investing in creating memorable experiences, encouraging young people to try new things, get out in their local community and make new friends. We urge everyone to use their blue tokens to help us keep providing these positive opportunities."

Voting is open in all Tesco stores from October 2025 until mid-January 2026. Customers will cast their vote using a blue token given to them at the check-out each time they shop. We urge everyone shopping at the Worthing and Durrington Tesco stores to please drop their blue token in the box for Electric Storm Youth.

Tesco’s Stronger Starts – previously known as Tesco Bags of Help and Tesco Community Grants - has already provided over £123 million to more than 69,000 projects across Britain.

This £5m Stronger Starts grant programme, delivered in partnership with charity Groundwork, 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.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “As a community charity, we have seen first-hand how schools and other groups supporting young people have been playing a much bigger role in ensuring children are getting a healthy start to the day and getting access to spaces and services to support physical activity and mental health. Family budgets are tight and school budgets are tight, but it’s so important that children stay fed, fit and focused, so we’re delighted to be able to prioritise these activities alongside Tesco with the Stronger Starts programme.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities, particularly those helping to provide food and giving children the support they need for a good start in life. To find out more visit tescoplc.com/strongerstarts.