Dover-based Pegasus Playscheme has received a £2,000 boost from Dover Athletic.

The cash was presented on Saturday by club chairman Jim Parmenter and midfielder Liam Bellamy before Whites’ game against Gateshead.

Pegasus is a charity which organises an annual summer playscheme for disabled young people, aged 8-25, in the Dover-Deal area. The playscheme is held at the Astor College for the Arts, in Astor Avenue.

The Football Association awarded the cash to Dover Athletic for reaching the first round of this season’s FA Cup, to be given to a charity, and Mr Parmenter nominated Pegasus to receive it.

The money was collected by Pegasus supporter and Whites fan Ian Hulks, and Jamie Clark, Jordan Mclester and Callum Speed, who all go to the playscheme each year.

The four were special guests of the club on Saturday, watching the game from the directors’ box and selecting skipper Connor Essam - who scored the only goal - as man of the match. A bucket collection at the match raised another £209 for Pegasus.

“It was a great day, with the club treating us like lords,” Mr Hulks told the Mercury. “Pegasus is a fantastic charity which is run by volunteers, and the club was very happy to support it.”

Mr Parmenter said: “We decided to give the money to Pegasus because they are a very local and small charity. They don’t receive much funding so we thought we would help them.”

Pegasus chairman Sue Clark told the Mercury the playscheme costs £70,000 to run each year. She said: “We are very grateful to the football club for helping us. It was a lovely gesture.

“But we do rely on donations and we do need more money to keep going.”

• Anyone who can help Pegasus is asked to contact Mrs Clark on 01304 853297.