Refurbishment work to Carrickmore Handball Alley

Aim

Our project is the refurbishment of our Handball Alley to increase participation, improve quality and create a lasting community sport asset

Who are we?

We are Carrickmore Handball Club located at Termon Road, Carrickmore, Co Tyrone, BT79 9JR. The club is located 12 miles from Omagh town and is situated on the Termon Road in the centre of the village. 

Our club facilities include 1 x 40x20 Court and 1 x One-Wall Court, a viewing gallery and car parking facilities.

We are in the process of adding squash courts, community cafe space and additional alley. To date, all this work has been self-funded.

We delivered 2 successful Crowdfunded projects in recent years- Raising £14,770 for our Intergenerational Handball Programme and more recently £10,065 for our Girls Handball programme- All thanks to our donors and Sport NI for match funding.

Our club was established in 1989 and caters for all age groups within our rural community, and we have 50+ members and 20 volunteers. Our handball alley plays host to many juvenile and senior handball matches throughout the year, and visitors attend from across the island of Ireland. Most notably, we host the highly prestigious Paddy Grogan (PG) Memorial which attracts a wide crowd from the community and further afield. Carrickmore Handball Club has been an integral part of our rural community since its inception in 1989. 

The club’s facilities provide those able to avail of them physical and mental well-being, however, we do struggle as a community to engage with those most vulnerable, due to rural and social isolation. Many younger people in our community have struggled to integrate back into the community through sport, following the persistent lockdowns of Covid-19 lockdowns, with many choosing to not engage socially with friends and sporting initiatives an have fallen away from their clubs. 

Similarily, many older residents have limited mobility in comparison to younger generations and would love to partake in the sport once again, but no appropriate sporting initiatives are currently in place, ultimately leading to a feeling of disconnection from their families and friends. 

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to complete essential refurbishment works to our 40x20 handball alley- Built in 1989 that has served our community for decades but now needs urgent upgrading. With nearly 100 members and 20 dedicated volunteers, our alley is in constant use for training, juvenile and senior matches, and for hosting big events like the Paddy Grogan Memorial. The ceiling, plaster, floor and lighting have all deteriorated over time, affecting safety, comfort and the overall standard of play.

Our planned works will replace the old ceiling with 18mm plywood, fully replaster the alley, relay the court floor, install a glass sports wall and upgrade to modern LED lighting. These improvements will give players a bright, safe and professional-quality space, help us meet competition standards and reduce ongoing maintenance costs. Most importantly, they will extend the life of the alley for many years to come.

Living in a rural area means access to indoor sporting facilities is limited (especially handball courts which are in a minority here), and our alley is used by a wide mix of people, from young beginners to experienced players, as well as schools and community groups. By completing this refurbishment, we can offer more coaching sessions for young people, provide opportunities for older residents to get involved again, and continue welcoming visitors from across Ireland.

Our Current Handball Alley

The Olympic Legacy Fund

Our project aligns clearly with the priorities of the Olympic Legacy Fund by modernising a key community sports facility, increasing participation, widening access and creating long-term impact. The upgraded 40x20 alley will provide a measurable improvement in facility quality, participation capacity and community reach.

The fund aims to improve equipment and modernise facilities. Our works will deliver a fully refurbished court with a new ceiling, replastered walls, a relaid floor, a glass sports wall and LED lighting. These upgrades will bring the alley up to a standard suitable for hosting regional and national fixtures, increasing the number of competitive events we can host annually from approximately 6 to an estimated 10–12. The improvements will also allow us to increase weekly club training hours from 12 to 20+ due to greater reliability and usability.

The fund prioritises encouraging more people to engage in sport and physical activity. With nearly 100 members, the refurbished alley will enable us to increase youth participation by at least 30% through expanded coaching sessions and afterschool programmes. Local schools—St Colmcille’s Primary School and Dean Maguirc College—have identified the need for 15–20 hours of weekly access to indoor sports facilities, which the upgraded alley can now accommodate. This represents a measurable new user base of over 300 pupils.

The fund also supports inclusive community impact. The improved facility will be used by groups already identified in our business case: Starbreakers Special Olympics Club, Carrickmore Youth Club, community organisations, older residents, and Carrickmore Health Centre for health and wellbeing initiatives. Collectively, these groups represent more than 200 additional potential beneficiaries. The upgraded alley also supports safer, more accessible activity for older participants and people with limited mobility.

Finally, the project creates long-term legacy by reducing annual maintenance costs, increasing facility lifespan and providing a modern, durable space capable of serving the community year-round. This delivers a measurable, lasting benefit fully aligned with the Olympic Legacy Fund’s objectives

How we’ll spend the money raised

We are aiming to raise £49,650. Sport NI will fund 65% of this, if we can raise the first 35%. So, please donate what you can so we can reach our target. 

All funds raised will go directly towards refurbishing our 40x20 handball alley. The budget includes removing the damaged ceiling and installing new 18mm plywood sheeting; full internal replastering; relay the court floor to modern playing standards; a new glass sports wall; and upgrading to a high-efficiency LED lighting system. 

These works will create a safe, modern and durable facility for our members, schools and community groups. 

Every contribution helps us complete this essential upgrade and secure a long-term, high-quality handball space for Carrickmore.

Community impact

Our refurbished 40x20 alley will deliver wide community impact by providing a safe, modern and accessible indoor sports space that supports people of all ages and backgrounds in Carrickmore. As a rural community with limited indoor facilities, the upgraded alley will remove significant access barriers and meet clear local demand highlighted through consultation, where 91% of respondents stated that Carrickmore does not have enough adequate sports facilities.

The project benefits almost 100 members and 20 volunteers within our club, allowing us to increase coaching capacity, create more beginner programmes and support stronger juvenile and senior pathways. Match hosting will increase from around 6 events per year to 10–12, bringing visitors from across Ireland and generating added footfall for local businesses.

Local schools—St Colmcille’s Primary School and Dean Maguirc College—have identified the need for 15–20 hours of weekly indoor sports access. The refurbished alley will allow both schools to deliver curricular PE, afterschool activities and introductory handball programmes to more than 300 pupils each week.

The project also supports wider community groups identified in the business case. Starbreakers Special Olympics Club will gain access to a bright, safe and predictable indoor environment for skill development and social participation. Carrickmore Youth Club can use the alley for structured evening activities, reducing pressure on existing venues. Carrickmore Health Centre has identified the need for local health and wellbeing programmes; the refurbished court provides a suitable indoor space for low-impact physical activity sessions, contributing to improved outcomes for residents with health challenges.

Older people in the Termon area—31% of whom live within the top 31% most deprived areas for health—will have a safer, well-lit and accessible facility, enabling re-engagement in light activity and social sport. Community groups will also have a new shared space for events, training and inclusive programmes.

Overall, the project strengthens community wellbeing, increases participation potential by more than 500 local people and provides long-term social, sporting and health impact for Carrickmore.

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