A SOUTH West house builder has donated £1,000 to a local canoe club.

Persimmon Homes South West gifted Teignbridge Canoe Club the money as part of its Community Champions scheme.

The club has around 130 members of all ages, whilst all disciplines of canoeing and kayaking are practised at some time during the year including White Water, Sea Kayaking, Surf Kayaking, and paddling on sheltered water.

At weekends, members of the club organise trips on the River Dart and other local rivers, coastal locations as well as some further afield.

Annual trips are arranged too with recent trips to the River Tryweryn in North Wales and River Wye, Isles of Scilly, the Great Glen in Scotland, and River Allier in France.

Persimmon’s Community Champions scheme sees £700,000 donated to good causes and much-valued organisations across Britain each year. Recent local recipients include Newton Abbot Museum, Decoy BMX, Newton Abbot College, Buckland Athletic AFC, and The Lodge Skate Park.

Persimmon Homes South West Sales Director, Stacey Harris, said: ‘Given Persimmon’s significant presence in Teignbridge, with sites in Dawlish and Newton Abbot, we make a point of using our Community Champions fund to help make organisations in those area as sustainable as possible.

‘So, we are delighted that Teignbridge Canoe Club are the latest recipients of the scheme’s funding, especially when it brings so much joy to local residents, something I hope residents at Swan Park and Kings Meadow can enjoy themselves some day.’

Tony Smith, Chairman at Teignbridge Canoe Club, said: ‘We are very grateful to Persimmon for choosing us as a worthy recipient of Community Champions funding.

‘This funding will help us develop our volunteer leaders and coaches, helping to provide even more opportunities for local people to engage in a fun sport that makes the most of our beautiful coastal location.’