Female Changing Facilities at Greenlough GAC

Aim

Our project aim is to provide separate new changing and showering facilities for our ladies teams playing camogie and ladies football.

Who are we?

Greenlough GAC is a long established Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Clady, nestled along the Derry/Antrim border near the River Bann. Founded in 1939, we are one of the oldest and most important sporting and community hubs in the region.

With 530 members, including 221 youth members and 166 female members, the club plays a vital role in local life, providing a safe and welcoming environment where people of all ages can learn, participate, and thrive.

Our Teams

We currently field 24 teams:

• Go Games (U7–U10): 3 boys, 4 girls
• Youth (U11–U18): 4 boys, 8 girls
• Adult: 3 male, 2 female

Our Role in the Community

While our core focus is Gaelic games, our impact extends far beyond the pitch. We deliver:

• Health and wellbeing programmes
• Fitness initiatives
• Social and recreational activities for older people
• Walking and running groups
• Support for local schools (St Mary’s PS & St Conor’s College)

In total, over 1,000 people benefit from the club’s work, directly or indirectly.

Our Ethos

Greenlough GAC is committed to:

• Promoting health, fitness and positive lifestyles
• Increasing participation in sport across all age groups
• Growing female sport, youth pathways and camogie
• Supporting underrepresented groups including females, people with disabilities, minority ethnic communities and older adults
• Providing volunteering opportunities and building local skills
• Preserving Gaelic games, culture and local identity

We are an open, inclusive, and community-driven club, and our facilities must reflect the scale of our ambition and the needs of those we serve.

Why are we crowdfunding?

Women’s sport at Greenlough is growing at an unprecedented rate. In 2022, we launched ladies football with just two underage teams. Today, we have six thriving underage girls’ teams, and our first senior women’s team will take the field in 2027.

However, our existing changing facilities can no longer meet the demands of our expanding female membership and camogie teams. We urgently need dedicated, modern, accessible changing and shower facilities.

What we are building

This project will deliver:

• New female changing rooms
• Modern shower facilities
• Fully DDA-compliant spaces suitable for all users
• Connection to our new Community Health Hub, which includes a community gym, exercise studio and wellbeing programmes

These facilities will not only support female players but will also be available for community gym users, walking and running groups, and health programmes when matches are not taking place.

This project directly meets the Olympic Legacy Fund themes of participation, inclusion, health improvements, and community impact.

How we’ll spend the money raised

All funds will go directly towards constructing the female changing and shower facilities.

We have:

• Planning permission approved
• Building Control sign-off
• Qualified project management within the club
• Voluntary labour committed, reducing overall costs

Project Cost

• Construction: £41,500
• VAT: £8,300

Total: £49,800

Your support will help us unlock match funding and ensure the project can begin immediately.

Community Impact

These new changing facilities will be central to developing women’s football and camogie for generations to come. They will provide a safe, comfortable, accessible space that allows more women and girls to participate confidently in sport.

Beyond match days, the facilities will support:

• Community Health Hub gym users
• “GAA for All” participants and those with additional needs
• School groups from St Mary’s PS and St Conor’s College
• Walking and running groups who use the club as a starting point
• Older adults involved in health and wellbeing activities

This project strengthens female participation, enhances community health programmes, and creates inclusive opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target and deliver this vital project:

1. Make a pledge - Your early support builds momentum, every donation, big or small, brings us closer to unlocking additional match funding.

2. Spread the word - Share our project across social media, WhatsApp groups, and with friends and family. The more people we reach, the stronger our community support becomes.

Funding method

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