BUDE Surf Life Saving Club has received some fantastic news — that it has been awarded almost £10,000 from the National Lottery Big Lottery Fund.

The award was announced in the most recent wave of funding allocations, which also saw the St Peter’s Fair in Holsworthy benefit.

A total of 189 projects will share a total of £5,075,689 this year, raised by National Lottery players for good causes.

The funding will support a diverse range of projects enabling people to improve their skills, meet new people, and strengthen their communities.

Bude Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC), the volunteer Beach Lifeguard Patrol Project, will receive £9,949.

This funding will be used to train existing volunteers as lifeguard patrol leaders, including search and rescue techniques. The training will increase safety cover on local beaches, improving the likelihood of positive outcomes in the event of water-based emergencies.

Adrian Parsons, chairman of Bude SLSC, said: “We applied for the funding to go towards courses for patrol captains and also a high tech mannequin for CRP training. We were very fortunate to receive the funding.

“The mannequin is already on its way and the courses will be carried out at the end of the summer. With this in place we will then be able to become a fully recognised search and rescue organisation, tie in better with the coastguard and carry out our own patrols.

“We will then be in direct contact with Falmouth Coastguard. If an incident occurs, we will be able to work with them.

“It’s going to give Bude SLSC the opportunity to move forward and keep up with everything happening at the moment in the search and rescue operation.”

Also set to benefit is St Peter’s Fair, an important date in Holsworthy’s calendar.

St Peter’s Fair events organising committee will receive £7,550 of grant money from the National Lottery’s Big Lottery Draw.

Each year the weeklong programme of events draws in large crowds with the choosing of the pretty maid to carnival.

They will use the funding to stage a community fair, which will enable local people to take part in activities, which in turn encourages socialisation and reduces isolation.

Across England, 1,903 projects are sharing in more than £50-million of National Lottery funding through this latest round of investment.

England grant making director at the Big Lottery Fund, James Harcourt, said: “It is great to think that National Lottery players have now raised £36-billion for good causes and it’s when you hear about projects like these that you realise the incredible impact that funding has had on communities across England.

“Whether the grant is for £500, or £500,000, our funding is used to run amazing projects led by local people. It really is life changing.”