YOUNG footballers have a brighter future in sight as they near their goal of year-round football.

Hatherleigh Youth Amateur Football Club (HYFC) is within scoring distance of having its first all-weather pitch after a community fundraising push and a huge donation.

The football club is now only just over £7,500 away from reaching the £25,000 target of its fundraising project to buy a plot of land to eventually provide a ground where they can practise and play matches on all year.

At the moment, youngsters have to be driven far and wide in Devon to practise or play when their current ground is often flooded, costing thousands of pounds in pitch hire fees and parental travel costs.

The new pitch will also widen community use with other clubs able to use it. The club’s plight was illustrated during the presentation of the donation cheque. The ceremony had to be conducted at the Ashbury Hotel where the U12s and U13s were forced to play away again last weekend, due to the youth pitch flooding after the previous weekend’s storms.

Among fundraising activities the club and families have staged was a sponsored walk in January. This involved youngsters walking to Exeter FC and and scoring goals at other pitches on the way to highlight their aim. These efforts have raised nearly £12,500, but have been given a big boost with Okehampton Round Table’s £5,000 donation towards the campaign. This is thought to be the largest single donation the branch has ever made.

Simon Lassam, HYFC club chairman, said: “The round table donation is fantastic and hugely unexpected – we cannot thank them enough. The work that the round table do to support local people and causes every year is brilliant and for the work we’re doing to be recognised with their biggest ever donation is beyond our wildest dreams. To suddenly be £5,000 closer to our aim is a huge morale boost and we’re so close to being able to purchase the land now.

“Our fundraiser target is now in sight and we’re hoping some more people might come forwards with donations to get us across the finish line.

“If anyone else in the local area would like to donate to our cause and get us even closer to the finish line, that would be fantastic.”

A cheque for the £5,000 was presented by Mike Santiago-Griggs and Chris Brown-Martin from Okehampton District Round Table at the recent U13s and U12s games.

Chris Brown-Martin, of Okehampton Round Table, said: “Okehampton District Round Table extends its congratulations to Hatherleigh Football Club on a fantastic ongoing fundraising effort for their new football pitch.

“We are pleased to contribute £5,000 towards this valuable community asset. We commend the dedication and efforts of the youth football team's parents and committee in achieving this milestone and anticipate their continued success.

“Furthermore, we express our sincere gratitude to our volunteers, sponsors, and donors for their invaluable support, enabling us to assist such worthy initiatives.”