TWO local groups are celebrating after scooping almost £10,000 of funding from the national lottery. Buckland Monachorum village hall was awarded £5,000 and Lamerton Hunt branch of the Pony Club received £4,994 as part of the Awards for All scheme. The cash gives a major boost to the village hall project to upgrade kitchen facilities, benefiting a wide range of user-groups. Tavistock Area Support Services use the hall as a drop-in centre and it accommodates the local playgroup, bowling club and drama group. Chairman Stephen Fryer said: ?We are thrilled to receive this award which will enable us realistically to aim to complete this improvement by next September. ?We are awaiting the outcome of other applications for funding for the project, but this is a very encouraging first stage and we are very grateful for this early support.? The kitchen currently has limited facilities such as a domestic cooker and a small sink with one tap but, thanks to the lottery and £850 from the parish council, the kitchen should be transformed over the summer. Funding for the pony club will enable members to open up its organised competitions, events and training to non-members who wish to take part as they need to buy a bank of resources, including a trailer and extra jumps. The emphasis will be on local events, enabling those without horse transport to take part more regularly. The Awards for All scheme, financed from the National Lottery, is jointly run by the Arts Council South West, Big Lottery Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England.
