Dame Rebecca Harris, Castle Point MP, has met with Asda and Parentkind in Parliament to celebrate the success of Cashpot for Schools, which raised money for more than 22,000 schools across the UK last year – including £3,840 for primary schools in Castle Point.

Cashpot for Schools was launched by Asda in response to research that found some parents are asked to give up to money each year to support their children's schools, with the research also revealing the most significantly underfunded needs are school trips, learning materials and sports equipment. Through the scheme, customers were able to donate 0.5% of the value of their shopping to a primary school of their choice - these donations were funded by Asda and distributed to schools by Parentkind.

Speaking about the drop-in, Rebecca said:

"I am pleased to celebrate the success of Cashpot for Schools. It is great news that £3,840 worth of donations will go to 26 of our local primary schools, where they can put this money into special projects to benefit pupils. The Asda Foundation run grant programmes for grassroots clubs and groups all year round so it is worth double checking if you are able to claim support from them – it could make a huge difference!”

Jason Elsom, CEO of Parentkind, said:

"The unprecedented challenges faced by schools has meant that PTAs are increasingly becoming a source of funding for vital equipment and resources, and in recent times, many PTAs have turned to helping families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis by providing the basics children need to engage with their education. We are incredibly grateful to Asda's generosity in making Cashpot for Schools available to any state primary school wishing to boost their budgets this year."

Asda has more than 390 dedicated Community Champions, who work with charities and groups to deliver services in their area. They support the work of Asda's independent charity, the Asda Foundation, which supports small, grassroots groups at the heart of local communities. Grant funding is available year-round, with more detail available on their website: https://asdafoundation.org/