A JUSTGIVING page has been set up to help raise £5,000 towards the cost of installing floodlights at Beechwood Park.

Auchinleck Talbot are currently in the process of applying for an SFA Club License and the scheme has recently been expanded to include floodlight provision.

Eugene Crummie, chairman of the Beechwood Regeneration Committee, set up the fundraiser and is hopeful the club could have them in place for next season.

He said: “We’re hoping to get an appropriate set of floodlights – approximately 300 lux – in place for next season and that would allow us to apply for an SFA Club License.

“The set we are looking at are similar to the ones they have at Cumnock’s Townhead Park and cost around £68,000.

“We’ve had the SFA out for a preliminary visit but they have decided to make the criteria stricter and floodlights are one of those requirements.

“We have been in talks with Morrison Construction and we are hoping to get some help from them, they are getting back to us this week.

“Auchinleck Talbot are in a position that we are almost there, the ground is way and above what is needed and floodlights have been on the agenda for a while.”

The crowdfunding target represents less than 7.5 per cent of the estimated £68,000 needed to install the floodlights so the committee plan on applying for additional funding through the national lottery and other sources.

At time of going to print, almost £3,000 had been raised through the JustGiving page and Eugene is hopeful they can hit their target. He added: “The fundraiser will help us gauge the support for it. We raised over £2,000 in five days.

“Our target is £5,000 but whether we reach that or not, I don’t know. It shows funders that we are active and working hard towards it.”

Talbot beat Ayr United 1-0 at Beechwood in fourth round of the Scottish Cup last weekend and a club license would give them guaranteed access to the Scottish Cup every season without having to qualify. Secretary Henry Dumigan added: “We are always upgrading and this is the next step. We want to take the ground and the club as far as we can.” To donate to the floodlights fundraiser, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/floodlightsforbeechwood