Setting up a small local charity such as ours is not as easy as you might think. Our initial tasks were to compose the club's constitution, register as a charity, lease a suitable plot of land from Ceredigion County Council, and secure planning permission - all of which have now been achieved.

Then there is the ongoing local fund-raising needed to meet the Club's running costs. Whilst our administrative costs are negligible, the insurance policies we need to have are very expensive. A great deal of time has to be spent each year planning and running the club's major outdoor fund-raising events - especially when (as in 2007 and 2008) the weather requires the plans to be changed successively.

The closure of our village pub, which was the venue for our many indoor events, has seriously reduced our fund-raising income, so we've developed some other fund-raising schemes as detailed on our website.

We rely on grants and donations for the development of the playground and the purchase and installation of playground equipment. Applying for grants is a time-consuming business.

We have been fortunate enough to secure funding from the National Lottery, but this was specifically for the work required to prepare the playground site - major excavation work, walls, fencing, paths, access etc.

Now we're at last ready to start introducing play equipment. Having just secured a grant from Ceredigion County Council's Community Fund, we're able, with funding received previously from a number of other fund-giving bodies and individuals, to purchase and install our first piece of play equipment - a playhouse for the nursery play area in the playground.

We're expecting this to be installed in December 2008.

Our next task is to apply for grants and seek donations to fund a tarmacced sports court in the ball games area and a timber multi-activity unit in the junior play area.

It is hard work for the Management Committee and their supporters, who are all volunteers with their own work pressures and family commitments.

The length of time it might take to progress the club's objectives, when time availability, fine weather and funding are scarce resources, is not always universally appreciated. Nevertheless, we can reflect on how much has been achieved so far and look forward to further progress in the years ahead.

News, photos and other information about Clwb Cledlyn Club, its fundraising activities and community events, and progress to date can be found on its website, see the right hand side of this page.

The charity is looking for volunteers (to help with fundraising, maintenance and development work in the playground) and sponsors (to contribute towards the cost of developing the playground). Please contact us via the email link on our website for further information.

Article written by Gordon Lonsdale