A charity based in Kinson that supports struggling families says that winning a cash windfall would be a “massive boost”.

Home-Start South East Dorset is one of six shortlisted organisations up for the £2,500 prize in a competition that the Daily Echo is running in partnership with Tesco as it opens its new store in Kinson – directly opposite Home-Start’s Wimborne Road offices.

Echo readers were asked to nominate who they thought should win the cash and the response was so big – more than 1,600 nominations for 118 organisations – that two extra causes were shortlisted to give six the chance to compete.

As finalists, all are guaranteed a runner-up prize of £500 each, but the one with the most votes will get £2,500 in the Helping Hand competition.

Between now and the store’s opening the Echo is profiling each of the six to help people make their choice.

Home-Start is a voluntary organisation offering support, friendship and practical help to families at home with at least one child under five.

Wendy Staples, scheme manager at Home-Start South East Dorset, said: “It’s a big amount of money. We’re a local independent charity and £2,500 goes a long way to help us supporting families that are experiencing a lot of difficulties in their lives.

“£2,500 would mean that we could train and support 12 volunteers, who would go on to support 25-30 families.

“We’re struggling financially; local authorities are cutting back on money and it’s all grants and donations that we receive, so something like that would be a massive boost to our potential to support vulnerable families.”

Good causes on shortlist

The six shortlisted organisations are: Homes 4 Heroes, Bournemouth, Lewis-Manning Hospice, Poole, The Bourne Academy, East Howe, Dorset Dog Rescue, Bournemouth, Cherry Tree Nursery, Northbourne, Home-Start, Kinson

Round two of the voting process will begin from the day of the Wimborne Road store’s opening, towards the end of January.

When you’ve decided, all you have to do is visit the supermarket and fill out a form, available at the customer service desk, nominating one of the six and put it in a ballot box.

For further information, contact Kinson’s Tesco Community Champion, Sally Teixeira, on tesco.kinson. community@gmail.com