The Riverside Project at Brompton Regis on Exmoor has been awarded up to £24,800 from the Culture Recovery Fund.

The grant will be invested in new machinery to help educate people about the uses of sustainable timber.

The project will also have facilities for people to learn and experience off-grid, traditional rural skills and countryside crafts such as hedge laying, axe hewing, basket weaving, spoon carving, green wood working using cleft timber and blacksmithing.

And the funds will enable greater provision of forest bathing and countryside treks with Bella the miniature Shetland Pony to improve mental health and wellbeing post coronavirus.

It is set on what was originally the site of the old leat which flowed to Pulhams Mill listed in the Doomsday book. It is believed to have been used as a coppice, probably for supplying the local farm with hazel for hurdles and alder for fencing and possible charcoal burning.

Peter Collins, of the Riverside Project, said: “We had great plans for 2020 with lots of courses and activities planned. Then coronavirus came and tore these up, closing the project and cancelling all the courses and planned activities. The project lost its income overnight.”

But, he added: “In a strange twist of fate we can thank coronavirus for helping build our future tomorrow. We can carry on sharing skills, knowledge and teaching traditional rural skills and countryside crafts, permaculture and Agro Forestry.”

Activities, membership details and course dates will be posted on the Riverside Project website where there is also information regarding the project’s coronavirus policy and the measures in place to help visitors feel safe.

“The grant will help ensure we keep these skills and experiences alive on Exmoor,” said Peter.