THE newly-formed Tamar & Tavy Gig Club has been granted nearly £4,000 by West Devon Borough Council towards the building of its first boat.
The club, which recently scooped £5,000 from the National Lottery's Awards for All scheme, will receive £3,885 from the borough's community project grant fund, following the thumbs up by the economic, leisure and community development committee last week.
Cllr Alison Clish-Green said she and ward member Cllr Christine Grills were 'fully supportive' of the gig club application.
'It's beneficial to all, particularly young people, and gets them involved in the community. It's environmentally friendly and good for the economy and tourism,' she said.
Cllr Robert Williamson said: 'This is something that has local importance, cultural importance and tourism importance — on balance I think we should vote for these sort of things.'
The gig club, which will operate out of Weir Quay Sailing Club on the Bere Peninsula, still has to raise £1,565 towards the building of its first pilot gig, which is to be undertaken by a West Devon shipwright.
The club hopes to have the boat in the water by next spring, ready to compete in races throughout the South West during the summer season.