Ethical funding body gives golf club £27k to aerate course

The not-for-profit ethical funding organisation and environmental body, SUEZ Communities Trust, has granted Ravensworth Golf Club in Gateshead £27,000 to spend on aerating its course.

The move should help the course prevent flooding in future as it has needed to replace an old broken vertidrain machine. The benefit to the community is that it will result in the course at the Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) being open for longer and it will mean older golfers in particular will be allowed to use trolleys and buggies for longer as well.

“Funding will allow the purchase of a replacement vertidrain machine for use in aerating the fields to prevent flooding,” said a club spokesman.

“The existing machine is 24 years old and is no longer serviceable. The machine carries out several aeration programmes throughout the year which prevents flooding and enables the course to remain open longer and for buggy and trolley use to be available for more of the year. This is particularly necessary for older and infirm golfers who cannot carry a set of golf clubs.”

Aidan Heslop, the secretary at Ravensworth, said: “The wetter weather of recent winters has made it increasingly difficult for golfers to carry on playing particularly through the winter months. The funding from SUEZ Communities Trust will play a vital role in preventing the course from becoming waterlogged. As a CASC the course is open to the whole community and this will ensure that we can provide access all year round.”

Marianne Ivin of SUEZ Communities Trust added: “Ravensworth is a true community golf club and we’re thrilled to be able to fund the vertidrain machine which will help keep the course in top condition. SUEZ Communities Trust provides grants through the Landfill Communities Fund. This important source of funding has been available since 1997 and has provided such worthy projects with more than £1.4 billion.”