A COMMUNITY group in Witney will create an outdoor gym for the town after receiving £12,000 from a supermarket funding scheme.

Cogges Meadow Park Community Group will be use the grant from Tesco Bags of Help to install fitness equipment at the town’s Oxlease Play Area.

Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch the second round of its Bags of Help funding initiative, which sees grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to local outdoor community projects.

Chair of the group Dr Suzanne Bartington said: ?We are delighted to receive the support of shoppers to secure the top award in the Tesco Bags of Help scheme.

“Outdoor exercise has clear benefits for health and wellbeing, however many people find leisure centre gyms are expensive or restrictive. We will be able to provide access to a free outdoor workout all year round.”

The equipment will be accessible to a range of ages and those with disabilities, enabling free access to outdoor exercise to everyone in the community.

Voting ran in stores from 31 October to 13 November – with customers choosing which local project they would like to get the top award using a token given to them at the check-out in store.

Tesco estimates that around six million votes were cast in stores up and down the UK.

Since launching in 2015, Bags of Help has awarded more than £24m across 2,421 local projects.