Community champion unveils hidden support available to Harehills residents

For years, practical support has quietly flowed from a Harehills Tesco store into schools, community groups and families across East Leeds, yet many local residents still have no idea it exists.

Karen Chaggar is the community champion at Tescos in Harehills. A community champion is a member of staff at Tescos who works closely with local groups and organisations, helping the store play an active, practical role in neighbourhood life. Through outreach, partnership building and day-to-day engagement, they support initiatives that respond directly to local needs and priorities.

Karen’s role is to respond to local needs through donations, hands on support and funding advice. That support can take many forms, from school uniform and food to fundraising help and employment guidance. She explained: “We’re the bridge between the store and the community, but we don’t think that enough people know about us. We can offer donations, assistance and can help at events.”

Recent examples include donating 20 pairs of wellies to a local school so children could play outside during winter.

She has also supported Parent Teacher Associations raising money for items schools cannot afford, donated school uniforms to families who need it, and helped distribute toys through Tesco’s annual toy appeal. Last year, more than 230 toys were donated to schools and services supporting families.

However, Karen says a lack of awareness is the biggest barrier preventing more people and groups from getting help.

“We don’t think that enough people know about us,” she said. “The amount of people that say that they didn’t know we had a community champion is unbelievable.”

Another key strand of the role is helping community groups access Tesco’s Stronger Starts funding, which offers grants to organisations that help young people to thrive. Despite this, Karen says that the number of people that apply for the various services Tesco offers is low.

“We don’t have enough people applying for these services,” she said. “People just don’t seem to know about it, which is quite frustrating.”

Karen recently visited the Chatty Cafe in Harehills, run by Harehills Action Team, where she spoke with residents about the support available and answered questions.

The visit also led to new connections with local groups, including a donation of unused, new makeup to support women’s activities.

Having worked at the store for 36 years, Karen says the most rewarding part of the role is simple.

“I love helping people,” she stated, adding: “It’s nice to know that I’m helping to make a difference.”