OLD Basing Bowls Club has been awarded £2,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund to help make up for the loss of income suffered throughout May and June due to the Covid pandemic.

The outbreak of the virus and the consequent shutdown of businesses as of March 23 has left the sport and physical activity sector facing a period of uncertainty.

In response, on March 31 Sport England announced a £195m package to help the sport and physical activity sector through Covid-19.

Within the package is a £20m Community Emergency Fund, of National Lottery money to deliver immediate funding to those who have a role in supporting the nation to be active but are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the impact of coronavirus.

The grant will allow Old Basing Bowls Club to continue to improve the facilities whitin the clubhouse and the bowling gree itself.

Malcolm Christian, club chairman, said: "We were delighted with the swift response of sport England to our bid for grant support to cover our loss of income in this challenging period.

"At the time of writing we are the only bowls club in Basingstoke and Deane to have been successful in this bid.”

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s Chief Executive, added: “As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again in the future. We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Old Basing Bowls Club to help it through these extremely challenging times.”