More than �1400 worth of equipment has been given to schools across Barking and Dagenham thanks to the generosity of shoppers at a popular supermarket chain.

Manor Infant and Junior School, Ripple Primary School and Northbury Infant School were among those able to claim equipment thanks to customers at Tesco collecting and donating the schools and clubs promotion vouchers.

MP for Barking Margaret Hodge celebrated the success of the promotion locally, now in its 21st year nationwide, with school children from the borough at Tesco Barking, Highbridge Road, on October 12.

Mrs Hodge said: “I know that local schools who take part in the scheme really value the computer equipment and supplies that they receive each year. I would encourage other local schools to take part.”

Neil Cheshire, store manager at Tesco Barking, said the raised funds showed “what can happen when a whole community gets involved”.

Over 40,000 schools and clubs in the UK signed up to take part in the programme and last year Tesco gave away over 450,000 pieces of equipment to schools and clubs, worth �9.2 million.