AN ambitious project to improve play facilities in Bere Ferrers has scooped a cash grant from a football pools charity.
The Foundation for Sport and the Arts has awarded the village's recreation field project £10,000 which will be put towards creation of a hard court area to include tennis and basketball.
Daphne McDonald, secretary of Bere Villagers Association, said: 'It's a great relief, because once you have large amounts of money, small sums do follow on.
'It will be a great thing — it's been a long-felt want by the villagers. The youngsters just have nowhere to play except the streets.'
Mrs McDonald said the group has also applied to Sport England for lottery funding to complete the hard court project and funds are gradually accumulating from a variety of events organised to raise money.
She said the basketball posts are 'hopefully' being supplied through the Outside Basketball Initiative, run by the English Basketball Association.
'I think it's fairly certain,' said Mrs McDonald.
She said the hard surface could be used for general ball play during the winter — and the hope is that a sports club could be started which would generate use of the area and help with its upkeep.
The hard court area is the second phase of the project to upgrade the recreation field in Bere Ferrers.
Once the recreation field is complete, it will include a cycle circuit, football pitch, cable-way, picnic tables and seats, a bird hide, wetland area and wild flower meadow.
A mixed hedge of trees and shrubs has recently been planted around the field by the Silvanus Trust in conjunction with Western Power Distribution (formerly SWEB).
The next fundraising activity is a duck race on Saturday April 15, when 200 ducks will be launched in the River Tavy around lunchtime.
Pasties will be available and there will be a grand draw.