The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Grant enables City to weed out their problems
Peterborough City Rowing Club has been awarded £7,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund towards the high costs incurred maintaining and controlling the weed growth at the purpose built multilane rowing course at Thorpe Meadows during the COVID-19 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, 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.
The grant has allowed the rowing club to fund the hire of special equipment and personel to cut and remove the growth in weed which ,if left untreated, would make the rowing course unusable.
City chairman John Canton said:“The award of this grant is extremely valuable as our income in 2020 has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The club has had to cancel all of the regattas that it would normally host through the summer and these usually provide the club with funds to cover running costs.
“A particular cost the club has to meet in the summer months is weed control in the rowing lake and this grant has enabled us to use weed cutting boats.”