Manor Park School, Manx BirdLife and Western Live at Home are the latest organisations to benefit from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

They have received grants of £5,000, £2,000 and £1,000 respectively, which have been funded from the 5p carrier bag charge.

Manor Park School will use the grant to build an outdoor storytelling area.

Head teacher Riss Forrester said: ’We were absolutely thrilled to find out we had secured £5,000.

’Outdoor learning has such a positive impact on children’s development and skills, so we are looking forward to planning our very own outdoor learning area, which will feature benches and a storytelling chair. We can’t wait to get the work started.’

Manx BirdLife will use its grant towards its long term aim to automate its public reporting systems .

Managing director Neil Morris said it would free up ’huge amounts of our time to support other conservation activities’.

He said Manx BirdLife keeps bird and other biological records which provide the local community with invaluable information about the diversity and abundance of birds on the Isle of Man and about the health of our natural habitats.

The Western Live at Home grant will be used towards the Northern Men in Sheds project, designed to tackle social isolation in retired men.

Live at Home manager Kerry Palmer said: ’This much-needed grant will support essential equipment for the shed, which is a venue for retired men over the age of 55 to meet and use a workshop for creative projects involving metalwork, carpentry and other skills.

’Social isolation and loneliness among older people is a growing problem and Sheds groups worldwide are having a very positive impact on communities.’