SHOPPERS in North Devon have helped Clovelly Pilot Gig Club receive a financial boost.

Clovelly Pilot Gig Club have secured £2,000 from Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme, which will go towards purchasing a fibre glass training gig boat.

Shoppers in Bideford, Barnstaple, Braunton, Ilfracombe and Westward Ho! branches of the supermarket used tokens after they shopped to ‘vote’ for one of three community groups in December, with Clovelly Pilot Gig Club coming second place.

Paul Smale, chairman of the gig club, which was formed in 2001, said the club needs £15,000 in total to purchase the fibre glass training gig, oars, trailer and life jackets.

He said: “We have already funded a set of oars, so that’s £3,000 out of the way.

“I think through other fundraising, through local councillors, barbecues and quiz nights, we have got around £3,000.”

The club is also putting together a bid together to submit to Sport England, with the hope they will hear a decision on that application in the summer.

Mr Smale added: “Basically a large wooden boat is fairly heavy. We have got a lot of pebbles to get across before we can get to the slipway.”

The aim of the new fibre glass training gig would be to enable more rowing sessions, especially for juniors rowers.