Blackburn Rugby Club Restoration & Preservation

Aim

We are hoping to raise vital funds to lessen the devastating impact on our income & reinvest into both BRUFC & the local community.

WHO WE ARE!

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/blackburn

We are a Rugby Club in the heart of Lancashire with 144 years of community spirit bringing families, friends & businesses together through the great sport. 

Ramsgreave Drive has been the home of Blackburn Rugby Club since 1932, where people of all ages come together, not only for the love of the game but to be part of a family that hits you in the heart once you have visited. 

An assured warm welcome to all, our facilities support the local community, whether a family celebration, retirement party or a business network lunch, hosting a number of different local sports clubs AGM’s or presentation evenings or hosting the annual Beer Festival in aid of Blackburn Youth Zone. BRUFC is here for the community through & through.

WHY DO WE NEED YOUR HELP?

 To quote our Director of Rugby, Dino Radice  

“The future doesn’t just happen! It’s what we build together!”

None of us envisaged the club being out of action for so long, nor the devastating effect it has had on our income streams. The last 12 months have significantly impacted on us being able to re-invest back into BRUFC & begin the essential maintenance required for us to safely re-open all areas of the clubhouse & changing rooms once allowed to do so.

Without replenishing the income taken away by the pandemic, impacts not only on the club itself but with those local businesses we have built key relationships with as suppliers & sponsors. 

WHAT WE WILL USE THE FUNDRAISING FOR!

We need to ensure that we are able to invest back into BRUFC & begin the essential maintenance required to enable us to safely re-open all areas of our club & grounds. 

1. Repairs to the leaking/rotting flat roof above the main clubhouse & also the boiler housing unit. Not addressing these essential repairs to the clubhouse will further impact on our income streams once government restrictions are lifted.

2. Electrical repairs within the changing rooms to ensure that we are fully safe & compliant. 

3. New drainage required outside the club gym that is regularly flooding into the gym & damaging the flooring & equipment.

4. Full resurfacing of the all car park areas & pathway outside the clubhouse together with the creation of extra car parking spaces on top car park.

5. Provision of outside bar & catering area to ensure we can provide additional facilities to visitors.

6. To create a safe outdoor spectator’s area for match days or private hire.

JUST SOME OF THE EVENTS WE HAVE ALL MISSED!

Sadly, in March last year the pandemic took hold & all rugby & social activity came to an abrupt end, creating significant implications for BRUFC both on & off the rugby pitch. 

National restrictions were lifted more fully in other parts of the country but still greatly hindered what we, in Lancashire, were allowed to achieve. We saw a glimmer of hope for just a few weeks & then full lockdown yet again. 

Here are just a few of the events the pandemic has cancelled in the last 12 months with no sight of when we can hold them again either. 

Dino’s Long Lunches are famous across the county & beyond. A vital fundraiser that the club has missed out on, twice in the last season. The fun of the raffle & the fabulous auction prizes coupled with an amazing atmosphere make this event a day to remember. Not only do we raise funds for our rugby budget but we also raise funds for many well deserving charities such as East Lancashire Hospice, Brain Tumour Research, BK Heroes, Friends of Serenity & East Lancashire Stroke Assistance and Support.

The Annual Summer Rugby Camp was hindered by local restrictions & the one planned for January 2021 was completely called off as restrictions increased across the whole nation. Another impact on income we heavily rely on in our fundraising. Removing the opportunity for children to improve their health & fitness both physically & mentally.      

Neither have we been able to host the Blackburn Youth Zone's Annual Beer & Gin Festival which is a great community gathering & not only supports BRUFC but those in need within our local community, together with the networking fun with local businesses, whilst supporting such a worthwhile local cause. The facilities of the Rugby Club are an integral part to hosting such a vital event, which is BYZ’s biggest annual fundraiser & has been for the time we have been holding this event.

Being able to work closely with Blackburn Rugby Club also gives the Youth Zone a platform to advertise themselves to the local community on a business & personal level. Making the broader community aware of how so many families & children of Blackburn are supported by the Youth Zone & the value it can bring to all those who use/receive this support.

The Beer Festival also gives the opportunity to other local businesses to be able to network with other professionals together with taking advantage of advertising their individual businesses whilst providing essential support for the local community & disadvantaged families.

Nor have we been able to push forward with a Sportsman’s Dinner as we would have hoped for & have in the diary for Summer 2021, which could be in jeopardy if restrictions continue. 

We work closely with these local businesses both on match days & throughout the week whether Beechs Butchers supplying our meat, to Thomas Moss for our fruit & veg suppliers, to Whalley Wine Shop, Bowland Brewery & Molson Coors for our wines, spirits & beers, Lathams of Broughton for their delicious deserts, to Ronset Printers for our Match Day Programmes, Adam Scott our Window Cleaner & Bee Mill Ribchester for all our laundry needs, Rigby Taylor for our fertiliser, seed & line marking paint. To Chris & Jimmy of Ham Landscapes tending to our grounds & Michael Evans for all things maintenance, as well as those who work hard as part of the Ramsgreave Kitchen & Bar Team. 

We really do need your help to protect the future of BRUFC & those who are part of our community family!

If you are missing us as much as we have missed you, please enjoy the video below. 

Thank you as always for your support.

This project successfully funded on 15th April 2021