1st of three phases in redevelopment of our Community Sports Club providing 1)New changing rooms 2) Larger community space
by Allan Cook in Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Any additional money raised past our target will help to make this dream of a re-developed club house, new changing rooms and cricket viewing room become a reality more quickly. It will be used to ensure the long term sustainability of the club through additional improvements to the facilities and resources available for both sports and community users
Our Community Sports Club needs significant investment and redevelopment to provide essential sports changing rooms followed in a second phase by much improved,modernised, significantly extended facilities for the whole community. With our first crowdfunding page we are raising funds for phase one of two phases. This phase will provide 4 large, modern changing rooms each with dedicated shower facilities and sitting alongside improved storage and access to all pitches. Both phases are to be delivered before March 2025, we are on track to secure the necessary funds but do need YOUR help and fast!
Garstang Community Sports Club is a collection of five thriving local sports clubs consisting of Cricket, Rugby, Football, Tennis & Kayaking.
We have more than 1000 members and their families, many volunteers and supporters. More than a three fold increase in playing members over the last 5 years
The facility, sitting in the heart of our Market town, is seen as the centre of our community for many. Complimentary to the sports focused aim is our long term commitment to the provision of a warm and welcoming environment alongside and beyond the times when scheduled activities outdoors are being delivered, encouraging sporting and non-sporting members of our community to enjoy the facilities and beautiful surroundings. Our facilities limit but don't deter us from this focus. Far beyond sport, the benefit of our location and approach to community endeavor, attracts a diverse range of people. Many who join us socially find themselves enjoying participation and support of sport beyond their expectation, many become key players in our sporting operations and planning. The fact that we are a multi-sport facility presents such opportunity to a range of people , acknowledging diversity of physical, intellectual, emotional and support level contexts and bringing many groups together. Many who live in larger neighbouring towns / cities find access to open spaces and uplifting surroundings with us. Many who live in remote, under supported rural locations find their sense of community and value with us. We have many playing and supporting members who travel many miles, with individual postcode examples from Blackburn, Central Preston, Ashton, Pilling and Preesall, Fleetwood, and Central Lancaster available. Our committed team of volunteers are looking for ways to create a better future for more children and families both locally and in surrounding areas, we believe our investment now has the potential to impact current and future generations.
Garstang Sports Clubs have seen tremendous growth and development, particularly over the past seven or eight years, across all its clubs with more men's, women’s and junior teams.
Unfortunately, the clubhouse and changing rooms, which are owned and managed by Garstang Community Sport Club, have not seen the same development and investment and are no longer fit for purpose.
We have only a single communal shower room serving 4 changing rooms that are remote to the shower facilities requiring players to walking across corridors and down stairs that are used by the public as thoroughfares and therefore cannot easily be monitored or secured. The facilities are not fit for the use of multi age, gender and ability teams and their coaches and officials.
We are fundraising to support Garstang Community Sport Club initially in phase one, the building of a six changing room block (plus associated officials changing areas) to meet the minimum requirements of the governing bodies of our sports and the needs of all of our members. This will be followed by a second phase, the redevelopment the existing clubhouse into a modern, welcoming area.
We have a target of raising a total of £600,000 for the first phase of the fundraising project. If we as a club can raise £20,000 from a minimum of 100 supporters, we hope to secure match funding of up to £10000 from Sport England. This money will also be used to evidence your belief in the benefit of the redevelopment for our sporting and importantly the far wider community.
Garstang Community Sport Hub have already secured £280k from Wyre Borough Council, as well as being delighted to have secured private business donations of £50k and £20k.
The remaining circa £250k will be sought from well matched national grant bodies, private business donations and fundraising across the sports clubs and our community who are delighted to help us launch this appeal.
We have five senior men's teams, two senior female teams, and a staggering eight junior teams, including a flourishing girls' section. We have a wonderful ground on the banks of the River Wyre in Garstang overlooking Greenhalgh castle and the Trough of Bowland, and welcome anyone to play, watch, or relax with a drink at our wonderful club.
Friday nights sees our juniors, All Stars and Dynamos take over the ground, where over 200 of our youngest members enjoy their cricket journey with us whilst their parents, grandparents, brother, sisters and friends enjoy a burger or pizza made by our fantastic 'food crew'.
We’re a tight-knit community club interwoven with the fabric of our small town. With over 600 club members, a passionate team of 30+ volunteers, and one of the largest junior sections in the area, our club enjoys a real sense of belonging and purpose.
During the season, there is always a senior game on a Saturday, with Woman's or cup games on a Sunday and during the week their will be a junior game on most evenings
We have 4 senior teams consisting of the Oaks, Blues, Lions and Viagrans which consist of 100+ senior playing members. We are also immensely proud of our junior section which consists of 225 junior members from U6 to u16 (and colts as of next year) plus 4 girl's teams u12, 14, 16 & 18, based at Hudson Park the pitches are to the rear of the Garstang Sports Club.
We have over 30 coaches many of which a first aid trained which helps keep our players and community safe.
As club we feel we have a lot to offer the Garstang Community and strive to welcome anyone into our rugby family. We have a thriving volunteer base and support chosen charity each year e.g. Thumbs up for Charlie, Papyrus and this year is Air Ambulance.
We are also proud that for a small market town in the North, Garstang have also achieved great sporting success, often competing well above our level and receiving commendation from all that we meet , particularly with regard to the commitment, courtesy and the respect shown by our junior players.
We are immensely proud to have helped develop and coach players who have progressed to reach such accolades as County Colours and more recently our first professional rugby player who is now also our club Coach Sam Dugdale, truly completing the cycle of aspiration and inspiration that is our aim.
Garstang FC currently have two adult teams. The First Team compete in The NWCFL First Division North (Step 6 of the football pyramid) and a Reserve Team playing in the West Lancs League Div2 (Step 9). There is usually a game on every Saturday at The Riverside, with an average crowd of over 100 each week.
We also have a thriving Walking Football Section, with over 100 members (with over 50s, 60s, 65s and ladies teams). We were awarded the 2021 WFA Club of the Year. We have strong links with both Cockerham Juniors and Garstang Juniors, who often act as mascots at First Team matches.
Garstang & District Tennis Club is open to all, both young and old, with ages ranging from 2 to 85. Tennis is a sport where all ages, male and female, can play together, both socially and competitively.
Whilst the courts are predominantly used by club members, they are also open to the wider community who can book on a pay and play basis using our online booking system.
Monday club nights are open to all members, and Thursday morning social tennis is popular with those who are free to play during the day.
We have a thriving junior section with around 70 members enjoying coaching sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday mornings.
We have a ladies' team playing in the first division of the Fylde and Autumn League, a second ladies' team, a men's, mixed and junior teams.
The community culture and atmosphere of all clubs is vibrant, driven by a strong sense of civic duty our volunteers truly celebrate the growth achieved in recent years and particularly the support that families as well as individual children are offered as part of the community.
The 5 individual sports clubs have grown significantly over the last 3 years, and the facilities need of expansion and investment puts the sustainability of the entire club at risk. Not only do we need to upgrade in order to meet the minimum safeguarding requirements of all sports' governing bodies, the investment is required in support of the inevitable continued growth of all clubs as our neighbourhood grows.
The Community Sports Clubs provides the youth of the town with a choice of sports, meeting the needs of a physically, intellectually, emotionally, gender and culturally diverse community. Consciously ensuring the needs of all are met has meant that our unique multisport, community focused club has attracted members from many miles around. Our market town sits at the heart of a diverse rural economy without any such opportunity for participation, volunteering and supporting the community through sport. We have case reports that confirm our impact on the lives of individuals facing challenging circumstances be they financial, employment, mental or physical health and well being. Lack of alternative such opportunity means many members travel 20-30 miles regularly, from Fleetwood, Morecambe, Central Preston, and Blackburn for example.
The local policing team are partners of our club. We are working together to deliver activities that engage new members who may not initially have the interest or confidence to join our community. We provide regular coaching and holiday club activities through all local community primary and secondary schools offering specific benefits to those with additional educational and physical needs who value the support and challenge that sports offer. We are proud of the recruitment to annual membership that we see so often via these routes. Our community policing teams tell us they are absolutely certain that our approach and our community play a vital role in the prevention of crime in our area. An additional benefit over and above the increase in participation in sports and community that is in itself so valuable.
Garstang Community Sports Club has the largest youth membership in the whole of Wyre, with a three fold increase our facilities are clearly limiting our ability to meet the needs of more than a 1000 members. The redevelopment paves the way for more young people to join, grow and succeed.
There are three simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. We need a little from a lot. Don’t delay, please support us, momentum is key to our success £1 from everyone in the community is enough to unlock this amazing vision.
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. 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!
This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.