A free outdoor gym may become a reality at a Faversham park…thanks to the 5p plastic bag charge.

Working out and keeping fit can be expensive, but it will in future be a complete freebie if the Brents Community Association have their wish, with a little helping hand from Tesco.

The association, along with Amicus Horizon, hope to install parallel bars, a cross trainer, a bench for tricep dips and press-ups, a chest press and double pull-up bars at the Reedland Crescent park in the North Preston estate.

This week, the project, named Brents Healthy Living, has been shortlisted by the Tesco Community Fund for a grant, which could provide enough money for the Great Outdoor Gym Company, based at Brogdale, to provide and build the equipment.

Tesco has teamed up with Groundwork to launch its Bags of Help initiative, with three community projects awarded grants of either £12k, £10k or £8k – all raised from the 5p plastic bag charge.

A member of the Brents Healthy Living team and town councillor Claire Belsom said: “We are really pleased to have been shortlisted, which guarantees us a minimum of
£8k for the outdoor gym.

“The Brents Community Association is putting money into the project, and we are grateful to Amicus Horizon for its support and a grant, and to the Bensted Charity which has also awarded us a grant.

“It’s great that we’ve been able to develop a project that people have asked for." - Mike Palmer

“Some borough councillors are dipping into their Localism budgets as well.”

People can vote in store now until March 6, on who should receive the three amounts of funding.

Chairman of the Association Mike Palmer said: “It’s great that we’ve been able to develop a project that people have asked for, and if we can get all the funding in place it could be up and running ready for the summer.

“We’re pleased that the community has a say in where the Bags of Help money goes, and we hope all Tesco customers will vote for their favourite project.”

For more information on the Bags of Help project, visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp