Sport England has delivered a decisive boost to Fernhurst’s campaign for a vastly improved sports pavilion. The country’s leading body for grassroots sport is making a grant of £100,000 to Pavilion2022. It follows a series of smaller awards from charitable trusts.

Bill Gourlay of Fernhurst Recreation Ground Trust said, “This is a massive vote of confidence in what we are trying to do and gets us so much nearer to the target. The fundraising team have been busy for four years now and the pandemic hasn’t stopped them. Our old pavilion has become a victim of our success and Sport England recognised how many people are trying to access it. This really vindicates our ‘Sport for All’ strategy.”

He continued “As if we needed a carrot, the grant from Sport England is provisional upon our raising the rest of the required funds, so now the incentive really is there to take this opportunity whilst we can.”

Pavilion2022 is Fernhurst’s campaign to rebuild at the village recreation ground. The pavilion is the last piece in the jigsaw after major improvements to the pitches and the addition of tennis courts and cricket nets. Traditional fundraising events remain on hold but the ambition is to stage the Blackdown Hill Challenge later in the year, when it is safe to do so. Before the latest announcement more than £220,000 had been raised towards the Pavilion2022 target of £700,000. Individual donations are welcomed at  gofundme.com/f/fernhurst-pavilion-2022