A tapestry to mark the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh and local play sessions have both benefited from windfalls of £1,000 from Tesco Extra in Musselburgh.

They will receive the cash boosts after applying for Tesco’s community grant-aid through its blue token scheme, in which customers vote for their favourite charities.

The scheme didn’t go ahead as normal amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, so Tesco decided to award all those who had applied the sum of £1,000.

Dr Andrew Coulson, of the Pinkie Cleugh Battlefield Group, which has commissioned the tapestry, welcomed the supermarket’s “generous donation”.

Artist Andrew Crummy has produced the first panel – the largest of any of the Scottish tapestries.

Unlike any of Mr Crummy’s other tapestries – which include the Great Tapestry of Scotland and Battle of Prestonpans Tapestry – the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh Tapestry will have up to six huge panels.

Stitchers have been working on smaller embroideries depicting their favourite parts of Musselburgh and what the town means to them. These will be incorporated into the finished panels, which will be housed at the Brunton Hall.

Dr Coulson said: “Tesco’s generous donation will allow us to purchase all of the materials for this first panel and we hope to complete it ready to be put on display in the early part of next year.

“It proved impossible to make much progress with the stitching work on these panels during the Covid-19 pandemic because regulations prevented such a large group of people working closely together.

“Now Musselburgh Museum has kindly agreed to allow us to use their premises on High Street as a base for operations when their current pottery exhibition closes in a few weeks’ time.”

Liz Neilson, head stitcher, added: “Our army of local stitchers, around 30 ladies, were invited to stitch anything to do with Musselburgh. Many of them were novices or even total beginners but Andrew Crummy encouraged them and helped them to draw their ideas on the linen.

“Topics ranged from the Romans to mill workers and more modern topics.”

Meanwhile, the funding award to East Lothian Play Association (ELPA) will support its play rangers’ sessions in Musselburgh.

Theresa Casey, play partnerships development officer with ELPA, said: “ELPA is delighted to have received support for our community play rangers sessions in the Musselburgh area. Our play rangers’ project brings free, fun and friendly play sessions to local communities.

“We use lots of ‘loose parts’ for play – things that are natural, scrap and recycled.

“The children get to build dens, play games, use their imaginations and creativity while being active outdoors.

“Play is essential to children’s health, wellbeing and happiness as they grow up and is especially important after all the changes Covid-19 has brought.

“ELPA believes all children have a right to play and is really happy that Tesco is one of our supporters.”

The Tesco Community Grants scheme is administered by Groundwork – a federation of charities – which is working with social enterprise Greenspace Scotland to support applicants and successful projects in Scotland.