AMBITIOUS plans to transform an overgrown garden into a valuable community space have been boosted by a top supermarket.

Earl’s Colne Library’s garden has been largely untouched for a number of years, but has moved a step closer to renovation after being chosen for the Tesco Bags of Help funding initiative.

The supermarket has teamed up with charity Groundwork UK to give grants of up to £4,000 to community projects, all raised by the 5p carrier bag charge.

Earls Colne library’s plan, incorporating designs by children at Earls Colne Primary School, needs shoppers’ votes to stand a chance of winning the prize money.

The garden behind the library is a large overgrown plot, which many customers have expressed an interest in using. With that in mind, staff approached the school before children spent a term designing a sensory garden, to go alongside a story time area.

Susan Barker, councillor responsible for libraries, said: “We’d like to see local Rainbows, Brownies, Scouts and Guide groups using the garden to plant fruit and vegetables to learn about healthy eating and where food comes from.

“The Women’s Institute and local horticultural society also want to help by volunteering to work in the garden, where they can share their gardening skills with others.

“We also hope to launch a Men’s Shed project like the one in Maldon, which help tackle loneliness and isolation by providing a place for men to make new friends and learn new skills, such as woodwork.

“There is huge support for the garden locally and we are very keen to get started, but we need your votes.”

Work should take 12 months to complete.