THE community of Bow has received £8,500 from the Southern Co-operative following the village store's successful Community Support Card campaign.

Bow Village Hall and Bow Community Primary School have each received a £4,250 donation.

Each year, local good causes wanting to apply for funding from the Community Support Card (CSC) scheme can submit a bid to the Southern Co-operative's participating stores. The recipients are decided by a panel of members from the local community working with the retail business manager, Tracey Watson and the store team.

Tracey said: 'The scheme enables local communities to raise significant funds simply by presenting a green CSC card, which we issue free, every time they purchase goods in-store.

'This doesn't cost the customer anything, and the more customers use the card, the more quickly we donate money to the fund.

'It's a proactive way for the Southern Co-operative to work closely with the community and make a positive contribution to the local neighbourhood.'

Lesley Hodgson, headteacher at Bow Community Primary said: 'This money is a fantastic opportunity for our small village school to update the reading facilities throughout the school. It will enable us to furnish our youngest pupils with books that will enhance and develop their reading through fiction and non-fiction books.

'Our older pupils will also benefit through purchasing additional books that are current and engaging, enabling them to access books that hook their interest.

'All pupils will be involved in the selection of the books, which will be a super opportunity for each and every one of them.

'Many thanks to The Southern Co-operative for its help and support with this, it would've taken us a very long time to raise £4,250 on our own.'

Treasurer of Bow Village Hall, Steve Rogers, said: 'Bow Village Hall is thrilled to be receiving the money from the community scheme from the Southern Co-operative.

'The committee works really hard to keep the hall up to scratch and now that it is being used more there is a real need for more up to date comfortable chairs. £4,250 will enable us to provide these along with a stacking system to keep them tidy.  

'We would like to thank the Southern Co-operative for their generosity and the people of Bow who have diligently used their green CSC cards to support this scheme.'

Local good causes in Bow are now invited to apply for up to £10,000 funding from the Southern Co-operative from its 2013 Community Support Card scheme.

To find out more and request an application form, call in to the Bow store on Burston Cross Road. Applications must be returned to the store by the end of March.