Thirty-two groups across the borough have benefited from a share of £75,000 in donations from customers of Tesco through the supermarket's Community Grants scheme.

Those given support include The Poppy Factory in Richmond, which supports veterans back into work, and the TAG Youth Club for Disabled Young People, based in Ham.

Charities and community groups were particularly hard hit during the pandemic because they were unable to hold their normal fundraising events.

As a result, grants from the Tesco scheme have been particularly valuable in supporting their work.

The Tesco scheme benefits from the profits on sales of the supermarket's bags for life, which carry a charge and were introduced as an alternative to flimsy throwaway bags, which used to be given away free in their billions from tills.

The groups chosen to receive the grants were nominated by customers in the Richmond area. And with Tesco about to open its 16th store in the Richmond and Twickenham area, residents here will have made substantial contributions to the fund.

The Poppy Factory received £4,000 to support its work to help veterans with health conditions on their journey into employment, helping them overcome any barriers. Four out of five of the veterans it works work with report a mental health condition.

The TAG Youth Club For Disabled Young People also received £4,000 to help with Sensory Simulator Project. It meets weekly at Ham Youth Centre and aims to empower and optimise the potential of young people aged 15 to 25 who have a disability.

The scheme is administered by Groundwork, a charity that is an expert in running community grant schemes.

Its chief executive, Graham Duxbury, said: "Our work over many years has demonstrated the importance of investing in the social infrastructure of our communities – the buildings, spaces and services that keep us all connected and provide a lifeline for many.

"That's why we're delighted to be working with Tesco, providing community grants where they're most needed and helping organisations to thrive."

The community grants scheme which is one of the largest business-backed funds of its type has donated more than £7.9M to good causes in the UK throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Some £75,000 of this went to groups across the Richmond Park constituency since 2019.

The figures have come to light following a newly published report for Tesco by Public First highlighting the role the supermarket plays in local communities across the UK.

Head of Communities at the supermarket, Claire de Silva, said: "Tesco is much more than a supermarket and no more so that over the last 18 months throughout the pandemic.

"We've been working hard for our colleagues, customers and communities to provide support and help for so many thousands of people for many years and we'll continue to provide a lifeline for charities and community projects across the UK."

• Do you know of a group that would like to apply for a grant? If so, click here.