Sport England - Movement Fund has provided £15,000 of match funding
Hartlepool Rovers Future Changing Rooms
Hartlepool, United Kingdom
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Aim: We are looking to raise funds toward the build of new, modern changing facilities to match the needs of our Mens, Ladies, Boys and Girls.
Hartlepool Rovers is grassroots, community rugby club. We offer opportunities to Men, Women, Boys and Girls to come together to not only enjoy the game of rugby, but everything else that goes with it!! We operate teams from 4 years of age all the way through to the Senior game and accommodate for a wide range of social and Physical needs. We are a family club, and we are open to everyone!
Off the field we play a key role in our local community, and through our facilities we are able to support likeminded groups and initiatives. We have strong links to Andy's Man Club, SSAFA, FIJ Judo, Hartlepool Brass Band and so much more.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Hartlepool Rovers have made a strong commitment to its members, players and the local community to improve its facilities and provide spaces that our people and visitors can be proud of, comfortable in and ultimately allow them to reach their potential.
We have invested heavily into the clubhouse, which now supports a number of charitable organisations and groups. We have renovated the playing spaces to address some significant health and safety shortcomings providing spectators with a much better experience when visiting and safe access around the pitch. We have also recovered the dormant adjacent land, which is being prepared for an additional pitch and training areas, for the benefit of our club players but also the local schools and other community initiatives.
BUT NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Our changing rooms are extremely tired and limit our ability to really push forwards and meet the growing demand signal that our club has experienced. With growing numbers of players, particularly boys and girls accessing the game we are in desperate need for modernised changing rooms.
The two current basic rooms are adjoined by a common corridor and the wash facilities are communal, utilising the old, shared bath space for showering. The toilets that serve the changing rooms, though recently renovated are communal and this again negatively impacts the game day experience for both home and visiting players.
This is not only an obvious safeguarding risk, requiring strict control measures, but it also significantly limits our ability to play matches.
There is currently no privacy or discretion offered to players. We have to address this and improve things for our boys, girls, male and female players. Allowing them to feel safe, welcome and able to access an equality of facilities.
We cannot currently accommodate Seniors and Juniors or Men and Women's games being scheduled to play sequentially, which means lost game time. This problem will be further exacerbated next season when we hope to have two pitches and at present insufficient space of a suitable standard to meet our needs.
The introduction of modern changing facilities that meet our player’s needs, in terms of WC's, Showers and changing space, will hugely improve the game experience of all that enjoy Rugby at Rovers. It will give players back their dignity. It will reduce the loss of players from the game, currently contributed to as players can feel uncomfortable accessing our fantastic game on account of unfit changing facilities.
But perhaps most importantly, it will really open up the opportunities that we can offer to our social and community partners, with Rovers proud to be at the very hub of sport in North Hartlepool.
How we will spend the money raised
Hartlepool Rovers has produced a business plan, professional architects’ drawings and costed a project that would deliver four self-enclosed changing rooms, designed to meet the RFU recommendations.
This design has been carefully considered to minimise costs by locating the build in vicinity of current services, whilst future proofing for further developments.
The project cost is anticipated to be approximately £90000.
Hartlepool Rovers have managed to increase revenues and can allocate funds, from its cash reserves, to satisfy approximately 50% of the required build cost. We now need the community’s assistance to help us raise additional funding to see this project to fruition. We hope that any funds raised can be matched by other charitable organisations, helping us achieve in delivering this truly game changing improvement at the New Friarage!
Community impact
We are located in a socio-economically deprived area of Hartlepool, with high levels of anti-social behaviour, crime and physical morbidity.
The ability of young people to access the physical activity sessions that we, and our partners offer, has a significant positive impact on the community we serve. And we want to offer even more of it!
That ability to generate participation in sport will be tremendously improved, if we have suitable changing facilities that encourage, rather than preclude participation.
We believe that through increased engagement we will contribute positively to an improved community, a reduction in anti-social behaviour and a route out of the issues that many young people struggle against today.
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 by 27th August 2025 at 2:49pm