Leigh RUFC Pay it forward campaign

Aim: Leigh RUFC needs your support to aid our ongoing challenges and to help fund improvements created by the present extraordinary circumstances

Our organisation

Leigh RUFC is a well-established, RFU accredited club with a strong presence within the local community. Formed in September 1948 and re-located to the current location in 1961, the club has continued to develop grass roots Rugby Union in Leigh, an area with high levels of deprivation and consequently high levels of health inequalities. The club is here to support our local community through:

• Improving health and wellbeing through sport
• Creating active communities via Bowling, Bridge and Drama clubs
• Championing diversity and inclusion via Ladies and inclusive rugby 
• Promoting the core values of Rugby Union within teams
• Offering opportunity for all

The teams we run: 

• 3 senior mens
• 1 U18s mens
• 1 senior womens
• 1 u18s womens
• 1 u15s womens 
• 1 casuals team
• 10 Minis and Juniors 

We are fully inclusive & hold bi-annual mixed-ability rugby days along with the Junior county finals

We have held mental health and drugs awareness courses for teenagers from the locality and fund heart screening for 15-18-year old players.

Along with rugby we offer our fields to a local junior football club (membership 120+) who use the facilities, training on Mondays and playing on Saturday mornings.

Our impact on the local community

We hold differing events over the years, some of which have included open air boxing, charity fundraisers for the Air Ambulance, large scale openair community days and we hold a 3 day Beer and Gin festival in September along with a community Bonfire and Firework event every November and the annual brass band concert and carol singing at xmas

Our function room is used by the local Bridge club on Tuesdays and Lowton Operatic and Dramatic Society on Thursdays. We also provide a monthly meeting space for the Royal British Legion, Royal Airforce Association, Leigh Antiques Club and a driving school.

The effects of COVID-19 on Leigh RUFC 

Entirely run by volunteers, the club is heavily reliant on match-day revenue and social functions for finance. This came to an abrupt halt in March with the Covid-19 outbreak. We had to close the clubhouse at short notice, just as we were entering our most profitable time of the year. 

The virus threat has had a devastating effect on our short-term plans and cashflow projection.

We lost the revenue from the remaining home games and have had to cancel our largest fund raisers including the Annual Dinner, the Leigh RUFC Beer & Gin festival, the Inclusive/Mixed Ability Rugby day and the Bonfire and Firework evening. 

We have reduced our overheads as much as possible, but this still leaves costs of around £750 per month covering such items as:

• Utility payments, security payments, insurance & financial charges;
• Pitch maintenance for 5 fields;
• Additional safety measures required  from the impact of COVID 19 to ensure the safe participation of visitors, supporters and players alike.

We have continued to tread water but other essential work has been put on hold.

Why do we need the funding?

The club has experienced an interruption in income that seriously jeopardises the maintenance and clubhouse upgrades which had been scheduled for the coming months. We need to be ready for when the Covid restrictions are relaxed to enable a smooth transition back to normality.

How will we spend the money raised?

• Installing an outside defibrillator cabinet to allow our defibrillator to be accessable to the community at all times
• Heart Screen Junior/Colts players
• Replace the guttering/roofing above the boiler house before we get more water damage
• Refurb the foyer and the back room to encourage groups to use the facility
• Insulate the cellar to reduce electric costs and our carbon footprint
• Install a security gate and fencing to the fields to discourage unlawful use
• Repair and repaint the clubhouse frontage to encourage more community groups to use the facility

What You Can Do

In light of the income loss, the club are looking to access a scheme jointly launched by Sport England and Crowdfunder to raise £20,000 to enable it to improve the facilities, both playing and non-playing, and provide the upkeep and ongoing maintenance of our existing facilities by our volunteer work force. 

The joint initiative provided by Sport England and Crowdfunder will pledge upto 50% match (up to £10K) to our proposed sum if we are successful. In order for us to obtain the pledge we have to raise 25% of our £20K target and to get the pledge we have to raise the full amount. this is where you, our valued sponsors, members, and supporters can help. Please help us through these extraordinary times and contribute to the ongoing development of your club.

This project successfully funded on 17th October 2020