Almost £16,000 has been handed out to charities and organisations in Helston this week in town council grants.

The money will fund everything from a performance garden to sports club improvements and Flora Day uniform.

In total £15,885 from Helston Town Coucncil was split between eight groups – more than three quarters of the £20,000 annual grants budget, usually spread between twice-yearly applications, although the council had £1,000 returned from a previous recipient now unable to spend it, topping up the fund.

Receiving the largest amount was Helston Athletic Football Club, with £4,500 towards necessary ground improvements following the club’s promotion to Step 5 of the National League Football Pyramid – the furthest it has ever risen.

The overall work will cost £21,117, with the club saying: “Failure to meet the additional ground requirements by March 31, 2022 would almost certainly results in the club being relegated back to the South West Peninsula League, Step 6 of the National League Football Pyramid.”

The Epworth Hall received £1,000 towards renovating its garden area into a performance space for local theatre groups, as well as use by youth and children’s groups, and the community at lunchtimes.

The council gave £3,100 to Helston Community Meals towards replacing its domestic cookers with commercial ovens that will also be used by Age Concern Helston, which feeds around 60 people each week.

Helston Cricket Club got £2,000 towards replacing its 30-year-old practice nets – the same amount as Helston Town Band for its Flora Day Uniform Fund, to get new hats to go with the new jackets for each member playing at 7am on Flora Day.

The Southerly Point Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust, which oversees Helston Community College, Mullion School and many of the area’s primary schools, received £1,700 to buy books involving more diverse authors, characters and settings.

Helston Bowling Club got £600 for improvements to the outside ditches of the playing green, and Lizard CHILD Trust £985 for acoustic treatment ‘sound clouds’ to lessen the noise inside and help children with hearing and sensory needs.

Helston Climate Action Group, which has received four grants from the council since September last year, failed in its bid for £5,375 towards employing a fundraising officer, as councillors felt there were other sources of funding available. The group was to have contributed £250 to top up the annual cost of the officer, who they hope will raise £20,000 each year for the group – including their employment cost in future years.

An application for £1,000 to help dancer Sapphire Sumpter provide inclusive dance sessions for 16 to 25-year-olds, supported by CAST, also failed as members felt she did not fit the criteria as a community organisation.