National home and garden retailer Wilko has announced new partnerships with Keep Britain Tidy, The Prince’s Trust and Keep Wales Tidy as part of its new Together for Communities programme.

The programme will see Wilko and the three charities come together to work with local communities and support hard-working families to be the best they can be by helping them build more sustainable futures.

Wilko has pledged to invest up to £1million over one year, with the money going towards supporting projects locally, including working with some of Keep Britain Tidy’s Eco-Schools and creating sustainable green spaces, plus offering skills and training to the next generation of young people.

Wilko chief operating officer, Sean Toal said: “At Wilko we exist to help hard working families be the best they can be, and building a more sustainable future is vital to this.

“We are delighted to be working with these three fantastic charities. It’s an exciting time for the business and with our stores in the heart of communities we’re in a good position to support local projects.

“Since 2011, we’ve been raising money from our 5p carrier bags, and have donated over £13 million to charities. We’re looking forward to moving the business forward and working closely with Keep Britain Tidy, The Prince’s Trust and Keep Wales Tidy.

“Our team will be working closely with the charities to achieve our ambition to create a positive, social and environmental impact in our local communities.”

Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Wilko to make a difference.

“Keep Britain Tidy is committed to improving the environment on people’s doorsteps and, thanks to our partnership with wilko, we will be doing just that in places across the country.

Deputy CEO at The Prince’s Trust, Tara Leathers said: “Wilko is committed to helping communities across the UK to thrive and we are delighted to be working with them to empower young people to get involved with this initiative. Young people have so much to offer their local communities and we have a lot to gain from harnessing their drive, passion and ideas.

“Through our Prince’s Trust Get Started and Team programmes, we support young people to lead projects in their communities, which helps them to make a real difference to their local area and to develop the confidence and skills they need to succeed in life.”

Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive, Lesley Jones said: “We are proud to be part of the Together for Communities programme and would like to thank wilko for their ongoing support.

“These vital funds enable us to help volunteers care for their local environment and transform areas for everyone to enjoy.”