OKEHAMPTON Golf Club has been awarded £7,582 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund towards the salaries of the greens staff during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

The outbreak of the virus and the consequential shutdown of businesses as of March 24 has left the sport and physical activity sector facing a period of uncertainty.

In response, on March 31, Sport England announced a £195m package to help the sport and physical activity sector through Covid-19.

Within the package is a £20m Community Emergency Fund of National Lottery money 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 ceasing of operations, due to the impact of coronavirus.

The grant has enabled Okehampton Golf Club to keep the greens staff working, producing a superb course for when the course re-opened to members on May 13.

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 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 well-being.

“We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Okehampton Golf Club to help it through these challenging times.”