Following the launch of a new National Community RL Facilities Strategy, The Rugby Football League has already helped one Community Club in their bid to continue the growth of their girls’ activity.
St Helens based Blackbrook Royals have a bustling girls’ section, but as numbers continued to grow, found themselves struggling to find appropriate changing rooms which threatened to end their training sessions.
With the assistance of the RFL’s Facilities team, the club have successfully secured funding through Sport England Small Grants and the Football Foundation’s Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund which will allow them to hire private changing rooms at St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy and make vital improvements to their playing surfaces.
Launched earlier this year, the National Facilities Strategy aims to unlock investment of £100m to facilitate the sport’s unique ability to transform lives and strengthen communities in some of the most challenged parts of the country. A key objective outlined in the strategy is around providing welcoming environments for Women & Girls to participate in Rugby League.
The Facilities Strategy recognises the role that Rugby League clubs and Foundations play in the sporting heritage of the nation and the contribution they make to driving social impact, values, and mobility within some of the most deprived communities.
Blackbrook Royals Girls’ coach, Callum Hull, explained:
“Down at Blackbrook Royals we deliver sessions to over 60 players across under 11s, 12s, 14s and 15s, but we only have four changing rooms. The girls play on a Saturday at the same time as other Men’s Open Age activity which poses safeguarding problems. This funding means that now we can book out separate changing rooms at the high school opposite us that have their showers, toilets and security.
“We’ve also ordered new balls, cones, tackle bags and poles which will help the girls improve physically and technically – the funding has helped us massively.”
The Rugby Football League’s Facilities Manager, Tom Little, said:
“After Blackbrook reached out, I visited them so I could understand their challenges and issues. We then completed a Club Health Check and Development Plan and supported them throughout the process of applying for a grant from Sport England – this included attending meetings with Blackbrook and the local schools, site visits of pitches and reviewing their grant applications.
“Increasing the capacity of facilities to cater for growth in Women and Girls’ participation is a key aim in our National Facilities Strategy. Without additional resources, growth in the community game is restricted, and we risk Women and Girls having sub-optimal experiences, so this funding is vital to clubs like Blackbrook.
“Through reaching out, we’ve also been able to advise the club on how they can benefit from the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund, so overall it’s been a positive outcome for everyone involved. I would encourage other Community Clubs to get in touch with us to see what help could be available for your own facilities.”
The National Facilities Strategy has been developed by the specialist consultants Knight, Kavanagh & Page, based on a national consultation process with Community Rugby League Clubs and Charitable Community Organisations.
If you are a Community Club and would like to find out more about what help is available from the RFL Facilities Team, please contact Tom Little. More information on the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund and the National Facilities Strategy can be found via clicking on the following links.
