DUNSTER Village Cricket Club has been awarded £600 National Lottery funding to help maintain the grounds until life returns to normal.

In response to the shutdown of sport and physical activity, on March 31 Sport England announced a £195 million package including £20m Community Emergency Fund, of National Lottery money.

Its purpose is to deliver immediate funding to those who have a role in supporting the nation to be active but are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the cease of operations due to the impact of coronavirus.

Dunster groundsman Rob Spiers and Pete Sutcliffe have been working tirelessly to keep the village ground ready for use, and chairman Andy Fay said the injection of £600 would be a big help.

“This grant will enable the club to maintain its grounds and facilities to be able to provide playing opportunities when safe to do so again during these very challenging times,” said Andy.

The club was reformed in 2005 and is actively involved with the village in many ways. It plays Saturday league cricket, in West Somerset league 3, as well as friendlies against local villages and touring teams.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, said: “As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again in the future.

“The £20m Community Emergency fund, made possible by National Lottery players, is part of a multimillion pound package of support we are providing to ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to the nation’s health and wellbeing.

“We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Dunster Village Cricket Club to help it through these extremely challenging times.”