More than £40K in grants handed out

Pett Parish Council received £20,000 to refurbish the sports pavilion at the Recreation Ground

Rother District Council cabinet members decided on who should receive money from their community grants scheme at a meeting on Monday (September 7).

The scheme aims to support the development of community facilities, activities and sustainable action with a £130,000 kitty.

Sports players and residents of Pett are a step closer to a refurbished pavilion after securing a £10,000 grant.

The total cost of the refurbishment is more than £80,000 but nearly three quarters of that has been raised already through other grants and donations.

Parish councillor Andrew Dunlop was pleased with the news as the project had been abandoned due to high costs but can now continue.

“This is very good news for the project and the parish council are very grateful for Rother’s support,” he said.

“This is an opportunity to push on further with various fundraising within the community but also try to get more grants.

“We simply could not get enough money for the project so it was put on the back burner for almost a year.

“But we had a fresh look at it and managed to reduce the cost of the project to meet our more realistic budget – including contributing more from the council.”

The pavilion was built in 1963 thanks to a Pett resident’s legacy and the project will seek to bring the building into the 21st century.

The money will go towards fitting showers, toilets, a disabled ramp and building a much larger social area.

“It was state of the art in the 1960s but it no longer meets most people’s expectations,” Mr Dunlop said.

“After 50 years, it’s starting to show it’s age and it doesn’t meet all of its requirements.”

Cricketers and footballers in Etchingham are a step closer to brand new pitches after the parish council was awarded a £20,000 grant.

The total cost of the project is more than £125,000 but Etchingham Parish Council has already raised nearly half themselves.

The Veolia Trust and England & Wales Cricket Board has also been approached for funding for the new pitches which would mean Etchingham Cricket Club could actually play in the village.

Burwash Football Club and Fontridge Cricket Club will also be able to use the new facilities, as will any other clubs or organisations for hire.

Battle Area Community Transport was another grateful recipient of a grant – this time for £5,000 for a new minibus.

The organisation provides regular bus services to rural villages and its aim is to maintain the independence of those who have no other means of transportation, especially the elderly, disadvantaged and the disabled.

The second-hand Mercedes Sprinter Treka minibus would replace a 12-year-old vehicle.

Another £5,000 grant was handed to Robertsbridge Community Association to rebuild the kitchen and refurbish the toilet facilities at the village hall.

This was given on the condition that Salehurst and Robertsbridge Parish Council matched Rother’s funding and results of Veolia and Big Lottery grant applications were made available.

Camber Community Group also secured a £750 grant from the council to go towards a marquee for its Christmas tree event, as long as it is used for other events.

Salehurst and Roberstbridge Parish were unsuccessful in their bid for £496 for Christmas lights as councillors did not want to set a precedent for festive decoration grants.

Sedlescombe Friendship Group was granted its request for money but only half of the £200 they asked for as cabinet members agreed Sedlescombe Parish Council should match their funding.

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