Dorsey Emmets Floodlight Project for our New 4G

Aim

We will install floodlights for our new 4G pitch, enhancing evening access and increasing community sport participation in rural Dorsey

Who are we?

We are Dorsey Emmets GFC. Formed in 2000, our Club provides opportunities through sport for local people within the rural border region of the Dorsey area. Currently we provide football and cultural activities to our members from Under 6 to Senior level with our home grounds based at Roxborough Road, Newry (approximately 12 miles from Newry City). Our community facilities include 1 full sized GAA Pitch, a walking trail, changing facilities and 1 meeting room.  

Earlier this year we secured funding from Newry Mourne Down Council to develop a new 4G facility at our grounds.

Our main purpose, aims, and objectives has been to play a significant role in rural community-driven sport, leisure, culture, and wellbeing within our catchment across the wider community of Dorsey. We achieve this by providing a positive contribution through facilities, programmes, and initiatives for all in and around our surrounding rural catchments.

We have successfully delivered 3 Crowdfunded projects in recent years, supported by Sport NI- "Kicking Covid out of Play", our "Girls Game Changer Initiative" and our "Active Ageing" programme.

Our facilities:

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to complete the next phase of our new 4G development by installing a full floodlighting system. As a rural one-pitch Club with growing membership and increasing demand, we cannot meet year-round needs without floodlights. Our grass pitch is often unplayable in winter, limiting access for under 11 girls, youths, adults, and community partners. Floodlighting allows us to fully activate the 4G facility already funded through Newry Mourne Down Council, ensuring it can be used safely from early evening onwards.

Installing floodlights directly supports our wider plans to expand participation, deliver targeted programmes, and meet identified needs in our rural border area. It will enable delivery of our Girls Football and Camogie Development Programme, providing dependable winter access for teams. It will support the All-Stars Programme for children with special needs, ensuring consistent weekly sessions regardless of daylight. Older people will benefit through evening Walking Football in partnership with Gap O The North walking club and Newtown Men’s Shed. Floodlit access will also support Mums and Toddlers sessions, school PE use, and shared use with minority ethnic groups and cross-community partners.

The floodlights are essential to creating a fully shared, inclusive, accessible rural facility. They unlock capacity for cross-community activities with groups such as Tullyvallen F.C, Silverbridge ABC, Sure Start South Armagh, and our local primary school. They also maximise value for money by enabling full-time use of the 4G pitch, supporting long-term growth, participation, and sustainability for the community of Dorsey.

Progress photos of our 4G and where the floodlights will go

Here are a few images of progress on our 4G and where the floodlights are going:

Olympic Legacy Fund

Our project aligns directly with the Olympic Legacy Fund, which supports high quality, modern sports facilities that increase participation and deliver long term community benefit. Floodlighting is the final element needed to activate our new 4G pitch and ensure safe, reliable year round access. This directly strengthens local sporting infrastructure and increases usage hours, aligning with the Fund’s aim to improve equipment and modernise facilities.

The project delivers clear, measurable outcomes that reflect the Fund’s priorities. We project a 40% increase in participation among our target groups in the first year. The floodlit facility will strengthen cross community ties, improve rural mental wellbeing and physical fitness, and enable new structured programmes beyond traditional GAA activities. These outcomes provide lasting community legacy consistent with the Olympic and Paralympic values of accessibility and participation.

Floodlights are essential to delivering the full programme of activities planned for the 4G pitch. This includes Walking Football for 40 older adults, Mums and Toddlers sessions, Girls Football and Camogie development across multiple age groups, and the All Stars Programme for children with special needs. More than 500 participants from Tullyvallen F.C, Silverbridge ABC, Newtown Men’s Shed, Sure Start South Armagh, Gap O The North walking club, Rural Health Partnership Cullyhanna, Cullyhanna Community Centre, and the local primary school will benefit from shared access. Floodlighting also enables biannual inclusive community events, two annual coaching qualification courses for young adults, and an annual inter school sports day for over 200 pupils.

The facility will operate as a reliable all weather shared hub that supports increased participation, inclusion, community cohesion, and talent development. The project fully aligns with the Olympic Legacy Fund’s mission to create long lasting sporting impact and accessible opportunities for all.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Our fundraising target is £48,840. Funds raised will be used to complete the floodlighting system for our new 4G pitch. 

Costs include: supply and installation of eight 12m floodlight poles; installation of 14 LED floodlights; supply and fitting of SWA and HO7 cabling; twin-wall ducting; lighting control panel; modifications to the existing distribution board and new small DBs at poles; electrical accessories such as glands, markers, and labels; full electrical design, labour, testing, and commissioning; and hire of access equipment including a boom lift. 

REMEMBER- Sport NI will contribute 75% of the total costs, so long as we raise 25% first. Every donation directly supports these essential components of installing new floodlights, to make the 4G facility fully operational for year-round community use.

Community impact

Dorsey Emmets GFC plays a central role in the social, cultural, and sporting life of our rural border community. Our facilities serve far more than GAA activity. We provide a safe, shared space for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities in an area with limited access to high quality sports or community infrastructure. The new 4G pitch, once fully activated with floodlights, will significantly expand our impact by enabling year round programmes that support health, inclusion, education, community cohesion, and rural wellbeing.

We will deliver a wide range of community programmes on the facility. Older adults will benefit from our Walking Football Programme with Gap O The North walking club, Newtown Men’s Shed, and the Rural Health Partnership Cullyhanna. Families will access Mums and Toddlers sessions through Sure Start South Armagh. Children with learning disabilities will take part in our All Stars Club Programme in partnership with Disability Sport NI. Girls and young women will have expanded football and camogie opportunities supported by LGFA and the Camogie Association.

We will operate the 4G pitch as a fully shared community space. User groups will include Tullyvallen F.C, Silverbridge ABC, Newtown Men’s Shed, Sure Start South Armagh, Gap O The North walking club, Rural Health Partnership Cullyhanna, Cullyhanna Community Centre, and our neighbouring primary school. Daily PE, an annual school sports day, and youth coaching qualifications will further strengthen educational and developmental impact.

We will also host inclusive community events twice a year, providing much needed rural social activity. The facility will promote cross community relations, support minority ethnic families, and give local people a safe and accessible place to gather.

Overall, our floodlit 4G pitch will be a vital community hub delivering health, social, educational, and cultural benefits for the entire Dorsey area.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made