Old Illtydians RFC library development

Aim

We are aiming to improve our facilities at the library to enhance the experience for both junior rugby and our community users

Who are we?

We are Old Illtydians Rugby Club, an inclusive and welcoming club based in Cardiff.

The club was established in 1928 meaning we are approaching 100 years as a club at the heart of the community, with rugby from u7s right through to seniors, as well as walking rugby for our older Illtydians.

As a club we are fully inclusive and the library is a central hub that serves not just close to 150 mini and junior players, our youth and senior teams but also a wide variety of local charities and community groups. Many of our children and adults come from areas of social deprivation and we pride ourselves on keeping costs as low as possible so there are no barriers to entry, allowing us to provide an environment which develops our players both on and off the field.

Why are we crowdfunding?

The aim of our crowdfunding campaign is to further develop and improve the facilities at the Old Library. We currently have no really suitable areas for our parents and players to sit post match on Sundays as many of our foldaway chairs and tables need replacing and no options for post match provision for our kids.

We are looking to further develop the Bute Room to provide a space at our pitch where players, parents and siblings from both Old Illtydians and our opponents can relax after the game. Some of our flooring also needs replacing to ensure the area is safe for all of our users.

These developments will also improve the experiences for the hundreds of non-rugby library users, who use the Bute Room and the other rooms in the building.

How we’ll spend the money raised

We are looking to redevelop the Bute Room with key features including

 - Convert one room into a storeroom, plumb in a sink and perform electrical work to give us more sockets and lighting

 - Purchase white goods and a coffee machine 

 - Purchase and mount a couple of TVs on the walls

 - Replace the existing chairs and purchase additional folding ones so the room can be set up for rugby and cleared away when needed for room hire

 - Repair/replace existing flooring where required

Community impact

The development will really improve the match day provision for our young players and there families. Parents and siblings will have somewhere to shelter from poor weather and grab a coffee, or maybe keep younger siblings entertained. Our players will be able to spend more time together post match enhancing the sense of community.

The library is used by the mini and juniors on Sundays but it is also a community hub with a huge weekly footfall. By utilising foldaway tables and chairs we can ensure that the room can still be used by the wide variety of stakeholders that currently enjoy it.

These include Tea Timers nursery, Moorland breakfast and after school club, Tae Kwondo, Karate, Tai Chi, Valkyrie’s women’s American football, theatre rehearsal groups as well as local  birthday parties. Our nominal fees ensure the library is a true community asset.

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