Shoppers are being asked to help fund the staging of mini events that lead up to one of Mansfield’s most popular town centre shows.

Mansfield Business Improvement District (BID) has organised the two-day Garden and Craft Show for a number of years, and it is attended by hundreds of people from near and far.

Visitors flock to see everything from lanky leeks and colossal cabbages, and to buy fruity cakes and lovingly-made handicrafts.

The BID wants to grow the event by encouraging more people to take up gardening and by hosting a series of mini events.

Sue Rogers, events and marketing manager at the BID, applied to be considered for the Tesco Community Grants Scheme whereby shoppers are given tokens when they make a purchase and they can then choose which project to support by placing the token in the relevant container.

Tesco Stores participating include Tesco Express, Huthwaite, Tesco Express, Lakeside, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Tesco Express, Alfreton Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Tesco Express, Lowmoor Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Tesco Extra, Jubilee Way, Oak Tree Lane.

Voting has now commenced and will continue to September 30.

The project with the highest number of votes across the stores will receive £1,500 (or the amount that was requested up to this value), the second placed project £1,000 (or the amount that was requested up to this value), and the third placed project £500.

Money raised from the Tesco initiative will help to fund compost, tubs, seeds and plants for a series of mini events, a free information booklet at the main event, posters and leaflets to promote mini events and a mailshot to all local primary schools to encourage children to get gardening.

Sue said: “Our Garden and Craft Show is very popular, but we want to encourage more and more people, particularly young people, to get involved.

“We’re grateful to Tesco for helping us to raise money for this community initiative and we hope shoppers can get behind us.”