THE Lillywhites have gone green! Dartmouth Rowing Club, famous since 1869 for their white shirts and blades have enhanced their green credentials to reduce the club's carbon footprint.

Thanks to grand aid from phone firm O2, the club has been able to insulate the clubhouse roof and install a water butt system which allows recycled rainwater to be stored and used for washing boats.

Committee member Suzie Bowden said: "We have been really lucky gaining a grant from. O2's charitable foundation award grants to community groups in order to improve the service they give in that town.

"At the time we had no insulation in the roof at all and used drinking water to wash the boats - literately money down the drain!

"The cost of the work was estimated to be just over £1300. We were really fortunate to receive a grant for £700 from O2.

"We decided that both projects would be invaluable at reducing the running costs of club and would help us, for example, keep this year's membership cost the same and not have to increase the charge of hiring out the clubhouse to all the other community groups.

"We decided to use the grant to purchase all the materials and equipment needed for both projects and put the manpower in ourselves

"The roof was cleared of years and years of junk one weekend and insulated by Vaughan Bowden and Yorkie Lomas on the next.

"There is a noticeable difference in the clubhouse temperature of the and our fuel bill should be lower this winter.

"The water butt was the next project to be completed and this took a further few weekends of hard work."