ILMINSTER Arts Centre is bidding to bag a cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

The community funding scheme sees grants of up to £4,000 0 all raised from the 5p bag levy, are awarded to projects.

Ilminster Arts Centre is one of the groups on the shortlist and is bidding for funds to improve its car park and garden area to make them safer and easier to use by cars and pedestrians.

Christine Walker, treasurer and trustee of the Arts Centre, said: “During 2016 more than 40,000 people visited the centre and we had over 900 visitors on Victorian Evening alone.

“Our car park is a vital resource for our visitors, and for the survival of the Arts Centre too, as we receive no outside funding and all our costs have to be covered by our activities, fundraising and grants.

“We hope that the local community will support our bid to improve our facilities, which in turn help to generate more than £70,000 for the local community every year.”

Voting is open in the Ilminster store throughout May and June.

Tesco’s Bags of Help project has already delivered £28.5 million to more than 4,000 community projects in the UK.Anyone can nominate a project to find out more visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.