PRENTON Rugby Club are preparing for a final push in order to complete their ground-breaking community hub project. The club has raised over £1million for their plans to develop their site and become a community hub and now requires a further £150,000 in order to fully complete the project.
Prenton RUFC have already been doing great work in the community since becoming a charity. With the closure of local facilities such as the playing fields, library, community centre, youth club and pub, they have been bridging the gap and revolutionising the role of a rugby club in today’s society –whilst raising substantial money for charity themselves.
Through Prenton RUFC Community Hub, the club has been offering kids clubs, fundraising and community events, a community garden and more, whilst acting as a space to be used by local community groups. In addition to using rugby as a tool to combat issues such as obesity, anti-social behaviour, mental health problems and isolation, Prenton has become ‘more than just a rugby club.’
The club now aims to develop its existing site and facilities to include a community cafe, gym, events space and multi-use sports facilities for the wider community to use. Backed by the RFU and Sport England and championed by top rugby figures such as Jason Leonard and Matt Dawson, the project stands to act as a flagship for rugby clubs across the UK.
Thanks to a Crowdfunding campaign and funding from Sport England, Community Ownership Fund, Garfield Weston and The Johnson Foundation, this dream can now become a reality. Construction will begin in June 2025 however in order to fully complete the project fully, a further £150,000 is required.
People and businesses can continue to donate to the Crowdfunder — which is still live and running. Alternatively, tradespeople such as construction companies, builders, building merchants and landscape gardeners can donate time and/or materials to help get the final stages of the project over the line.
Club Spokesperson Gareth Knapman said:- “We can’t express enough thanks to every funder, organisation and individual who has contributed to our community project so far. It was always going to be a monumental task to raise such a large amount for such a big project but we’ve pretty much done it — we just need one final push to get over the line. We have been doing great work in the community for quite some time now — becoming more than just a rugby club and helping combat loneliness, isolation, mental health problems and other issues. Our new community hub will take that to the next level, with so much on offer for people and great facilities — we’re hoping it will act as a blueprint for other rugby clubs across the country to do the same.”
Prenton Rugby Club are preparing for a final push in order to complete their ground-breaking community hub project. The club has raised over £1million for their plans to develop their site and become a community hub and now requires a further £150,000 in order to fully complete the project.
Prenton RUFC Community Hub / Prenton Dell Road, Prenton, CH43 3BS
For Rewards and to Donate to the Crowdfunder, click here.
For more information or to get involved, contact Brian Elkerton on:- brianelk@live.co.uk
