Exclusive by Alan Quick

CREDITON Bowling Club is celebrating the news that it has received a £17,848 funding boost from SITA Trust to install an Automatic Irrigation Sprinkler System for the Lawn Bowling Green.

For many years, volunteer members of the club, which is situated in Newcombes Meadow park, have painstakingly spent hours watering the lawn green for the bowling club.

With ever-increasing use of the green by its members and also by Bowls Devon for matches, members felt that a more technologically efficient system was required.

The automatic sprinkler system that has been funded by SITA Trust will be programmed to be used to the best advantage of keeping a good conditioned lawn bowling green throughout the whole season.

Christine Marshall, the club’s honorary secretary, said: “Crediton Bowling Club was so pleased to be able to apply for the SITA Trust funding as their criteria for funding fitted perfectly with what the club wanted to achieve.

"Members are looking forward to seeing the work get started so that they will be able to get the benefit from the enhancement that this project will bring to the club.”

Marianne Ivin of SITA Trust added: “Crediton Bowling Club have a very unusual but very interesting watering system, however it was clear from their application that it was no longer up to the job.

"A modern watering system will make a huge difference to maintaining the green throughout the season. SITA Trust provides grants through the Landfill Communities Fund.

"This important source of funding has been available since 1997 and has provided such worthy projects with more than £1.4 billion.”

Ancillary work is expected to begin soon with the main system being installed at the end of the season.