A DAY centre for disabled adults in Galashiels and a school project in Peebles have landed top prizes in a supermarket vote.

Cornerstone Connects has scooped £12,000 in the poll by Tesco customers in Galashiels to create a sensory garden.

And Kingsland Primary School will be awarded the same amount following the public vote in the Peebles store for playground improvements.

A total of £60,000 will be given to local charities and good causes following the recent Bags of Help initiative, which turns the 5p bag levy into grants for outdoor community projects.

Tony McElroy, Tesco’s head of communications in Scotland, told us: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response of our customers and it’s been great to give people a say on how the money will be spent in their community.

“We can’t wait to see the projects come to life.”

Cornerstone will use the cash to create a diabled friendly sensory garden next to their Melrose Road premises.

And Kingsland Primary will use the windfall to improve the outdoor space at the school.

Scottish Borders Council's playpark proposals bagged £10,000 after coming second in the Galashiels vote with Wooplaw Community Woodland, near Blainslie, benefiting from £8,000.

The £10,000 second prize in Peebles will go to Peebles Community Action Network's Kids Yurt Learning Zone with £8,000 going to the Walkerburn Community Development Trust to create a path network above Tweedholm Avenue.

The results were announced this week and the groups will now use their award to bring their projects to life and transform their community.

Voting ran in stores from October 31 to November 13 – with customers using a token given to them at the check-out in store to cast their votes.

So far, Bags of Help has awarded more than £24m across 2,421 local projects.

And from December 1 customers will be able to vote for more local groups.

Emma Halliday, coordinator at greenspace scotland, said: “It’s just the beginning for Bags of Help and we’re really excited about the future.

"The scheme will be permanently open for applications, and as grants can now be used for not just the development but also the use of local outdoor spaces, we expect even more groups will have the chance to benefit.

“It’s projects like these that really help to capture the public’s imagination by illustrating what can be achieved when communities are given the support and encouragement they need to create better places where they live.”

Anyone can nominate a local project and local organisations can apply. To find out more, visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp