Refresh & Reinvigorate our little Club on the Lane

by Barry Breakwell in Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

We did it
On 17th May 2023 we successfully raised £20,445 ( + est. £2327.75 Gift Aid ) with 162 supporters in 28 days

Our Club desperately needs help so that we can continue to play rugby - we need to repair our roof, sort the heating out and much much more!

by Barry Breakwell in Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

 New stretch target

Our initial crowdfunding target is £10,000 - and with this we will repair our leaking roof, have a lovely decorated welcoming hallway, redecorated our club and have some modern furniture that allows everyone to socialise and enjoy our little Club. But we want to do so much more!

Our aspirations are to:

Replace all flat roofs with new pitched roof - approximate capital costs £38,200. This will stop the constant water ingress issues we have (due to a roof surface that is perishing) and will allow us to be maintenance free and also allow us to install solar panels and be more eco-friendly. This will also allow us to support the Community further through an improved and enhanced showering and changing facilities.

Installation of solar panels to help reduce the heating and energy bills - approximate total capital costs £28,500. Over the last 12 months the Club's electricity bills have gone from £800 per month to £1,800 per month! A massive 125% increase per month! The solar panels will go along way to offset this increase and we are told that the payback period of 7 years will also reduce our monthly heating and energy  bills. This will also help offset the bills for the flood lights for night training - we are really concerned that we are coming vey close to having to turn the floodlights off because we cannot afford them!

Also, installing Solar Panels on the roof of the clubhouse with battery storage to ensure we can power the lights and clubhouse sustainably would be a significant improvement. This would also allow us to offer more sport on the pitches throughout the year. 

Replacing the leaking and inefficient water cylinder and boiler with new state-of-the-art shower system in the changing rooms - approximate capital costs £10,300. Our current water cylinder is over 25 years old and is totally inefficient to run - it's on its last legs! and we are desperately worried that we will be suddenly left with a big problem - in that we no hot water for showers! We estimate that by replacing our current water cylinder and boiler we will save upwards of £150/week and also be able to ensure that even more Rugby and other sports games can be accommodated through modern showering and changing facilities.

These are significant projects but will have such a huge impact on a community which benefits from this historic site of sport at our little Club down the lane.


Who we are

We have played rugby on our existing facilities for over 96 years.

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As well as senior rugby we have a thriving junior rugby section and also now have other sports sections working with us such as - rugby league (Bramley Buffalos RLFC), football (Wortley AFC) and American football (Leeds Bobcats).

We also have an active social membership engaging with the local community and provide facilities for the local council to showcase community projects and activities and other events.

We are a fully inclusive Club with a sport and social offering to all ages, genders and ethnic background.

Albeit a small Club we are immensely proud of being involved in our community.

Why are we crowdfunding?

Our Clubhouse is now starting to show its age - and whilst we have tried to maintain it over the years the Clubhouse is now in desperate need of essential repairs and redecorations to ensure the Club and its facilities offer a safe and attractive venue for everyone.

We also want to make a real difference to our local community and want to offer our Clubhouse and grounds as a centre for many local activities that everyone can experience and enjoy.

Like many other organisations, the club is being hugely hit by the price increases relating to the cost of living crisis. Over the past few years we have been exploring various options for replacing our current flat roof system and showers, sadly this now seems even more unattainable, due to the increase in material costs involved in completing such projects along with our other more important competing priorities – all a bit of headache!

We are now becoming desperately concerned that we may have to close the Club due to lack of funds to stop the ingress and damage by rain water or that our hot water system completely collapses leaving us with no showering facilities or heating.  

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Please help us, through your donations, so that we can repair our roof, refurbish our hallway and sort out our boiler and water cylinder problems (see pictures above).

We have 100's of young people and adults using our facilities each week and think we may be at a tipping point of being able to continue to provide some of these services. We really don't want to have to reduce the time allowed on our site based on keeping our premises water-tight or having no hot water for showers after training or a game. 

The last thing we want to have to do is to close our Rugby Club, this will be an absolute disaster for our kids, our playing adults and the local community simply because of rising costs!

How we'll spend the money raised

We will spend the money on key areas of the Club so that everyone can enjoy the facilities in a warm, friendly and safe environment and so that our kids can play rugby and other sports for many years to come.

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How will we keep you updated on progress

We will inform everyone, via our website, as to how we will spend your generous donation. We will also add pictures so you can see what we are achieving and the progress being made. 

Wherever possible we will use the best skills and workmen within the Club membership to do any work, so that we are using your donation wisely and thus ensuring that we get the best value for money possible. We will use one of our many skilled project managers to manage the investments and to ensure that we get the right refurbishments in a cost-effective and timely manner.

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, prizes or some time as a volunteer,

 so to help us get as much support as possible.

4. Get involved 

if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will also give your business a shout out through our website!

If you want to run your own fundraiser to support us, 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!

We desperately need your support - please do whatever you can to help us.

As a Club we have been in existence for the last 96 years - by donating/volunteering/supporting us you are helping to ensure that we have another 96 years of providing sports and social facilities for the local community and kids that just want to play sport.

It is not just about our Club - we also work with our local Community

We are based in an inner city area of Leeds that has many issues around low income and other inequalities and we want to make investment in our Club alongside a commitment to work with these communities; to understand the issues they face; and to co-create local solutions that will in turn help improve life chances of everyone involved. 

We are proud that our Club gives opportunities to everyone in the local community.

We are committed to being a centre for Community involvement and are keen to build upon our work in the summer of 2022 where we hosted a Leeds City Council organised "Farnley & Wortley Open Day" (see the Testimonial from Leeds City Council Councillor Ann Forsaith at the bottom of this section) to showcase activities taking place in the community. We want to, and know that, we can do so much more!

This is how important we are to our Community - read what Councillor Ann Forsaith - Leeds City Council has to say about us.

"West Leeds Rugby Union Football Club is a well established and professionally run organisation which provides a range of opportunities for the sport as well as facilities that benefit the local area. In a neighbourhood where there are few similar facilities, I was delighted that the club agreed to host the LS12 Community Festival in 2022. The club was extremely helpful at all stages during the planning of the event, and on the day, which resulted in the festival running without any significant issues. I understand that West Leeds Rugby Football Club is applying for funding to make necessary repairs to the clubhouse. Considering the positive benefit that West Leeds Rugby Union Club provides and the necessity to invest in sporting facilities for the health and wellbeing of participants, I wholeheartedly support this grant application."

 Ann Forsaith - Councillor for Farnley and Wortley ward

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Why not come down to the Club and see how we are doing - we would love to see you at the Club.

Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£10 or more

0 of 10 claimed

Beauty discount at Beauty Essence

Beauty Essence will offer a £5 discount on any beauty treatments over £50. Provided by Kirsty Wilson, Beauty Essence, Dixon Lane - Facebook: @beautyessence112

£5 or more

1 of 5 claimed

Admission to a 1st XV home game

Admission for 2 people to a 1st XV home game including programme. Provided by Caters Ltd, Design Service, Stanningley Leeds. www:caters.net/print.html

£5 or more

4 of 5 claimed

Meal for 2 at Travellers Rest, Leeds ls 12

Classic Pub Meal for 2 (drinks not included) on a Saturday only at The Traveller's Rest Leeds 12. Booking in advance maybe needed. Value £12 in total - drinks excluded. Provided by Joanne at The Travellers Rest (Greene King Breweries). www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/west-yorkshire/travellers-rest/

£20 or more

Professional valuation of your property

Professional valuation of your property by Hardisty & Co Estate Agent. Provided by Hardisty & Co Estate Agents, please contact Georgine Carroll - Assistant Manager W: hardistyandco.com

£40 or more

2 of 5 claimed

Hire the Clubhouse for a special event

Great Clubhouse for a kids party, special event. anniversary etc, includes the use of the Howard Madden Rugby room and the opening of the bar. The Howard Madden Rugby room is our largest function room and comfortably accommodates upto 50 people seated and a further 30 people standing. It also has an outside terrace. Our stewardess, Jinney, can provide available dates - contact her on 0779 538 8172 The cost of this room hire is £50

£50 or more

1 of 5 claimed

One year's annual Club membership

One years membership of the Club including all discounts offered in that year. Normally save you over £10 per year, with discounts.

£50 or more

0 of 2 claimed

Half-page advert in our Match day programme

Advertise your Business with a season long half-page advert in our match day programme, This would normally cost £100. Provided by Caters Ltd, Design Services, Stanningley Leeds

£35 or more

1 of 1 claimed

Two tickets to our Freddie Mercury Tribute Band

Two tickets (inclusive of meals but excludes drinks) to our Freddie Mercury Tribute Band. Come and enjoy the evening on Saturday 3rd June with exclusive front-stage seats with an at seat service of evening meal. Cost of tickets and meal will be £40 Provided by Michael Gardiner Caterers.

£200 or more

3 of 3 claimed

Presidents Lunch - table for 6

Join us for one of our President's Lunches ( 2 course meal but excludes drinks), on a table of 6 for you and your nominated guests. Lunches are held on one of our key home clashes on Saturdays and will include pre-match presentations and an insight into the game ahead by the Club's President. Provided by Michael Gardiner Caters, Leeds. Actual cost is £90 per table.

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