Stockport Rugby Clubs "Fit for all" campaign

Aim

Installation & ground works for our stand,equipment for all our teams and restoration of our pitches.

Who are we?

Stockport Rugby is currently enjoying its centenary season this year for 23-24. Originally formed in 1923 formerly as Davenport Rugby Club, the club moved to its current site and club house on Headlands Road, Bramhall in 1962 and renamed as Stockport RUFC in 1966. Things have changed a lot since the club began 100 years ago and we are now proud to be an all inclusive community rugby club that has over 470 children playing every Sunday, 290 senior participants and various teams for all ages and abilities including Girls, visually impaired, disability and walking rugby for our older community. Furthermore our clubhouse and grounds are used by local community frequently for walking, fitness boot camps, running clubs and football tournaments.

Our fantastic ground in the heart of the Bramhall village Community in Cheshire allows us to run a wide programme of activities for all ages and abilities, as well as hosting community gatherings, concerts, and large fundraising events which attract thousands of people to Headlands Road.

Why are we crowdfunding?

In 1977 we were the first rugby club to pioneer a special needs rugby team which is now an integral part of our rugby clubs identity. Our "All Stars" team gives individuals with severe mobility and learning difficulties a chance to take part in sport and form relationships for life. The All stars are now affiliated with our local premiership rugby club Sale Sharks and often host matches against other special needs teams. The squad has over 36 participants of all ages and gender and an even larger supporting group of carers and parents who are as much a part of the club as the players.

In early 2024 we were approached regarding helping with the formation of a new visually impaired rugby team and launching this in the north west. We jumped at the chance to be a part of such an exciting new venture and joined forces by donating the use of our club facilities for training sessions. We gladly supported this newly formed team and have been working with the group successfully for over 6 months now, we are proud to welcome this diverse new squad into our stockport rugby club family and give this group the opportunity to play sport and be active.

So our club not only has a fast growing membership base and a fast growing reach into the community but that also means that more people are at the club daily and more time is spent on the pitches or pitch side for parents, carers, supporters and coaches. The only problem with us growing is the UK is getting wetter year on year and it has become even more apparent this year that to keep people active and attending our sessions regularly we need to provide the best playing surfaces we can for them even in the wettest conditions! We also realised after speaking to our community that we needed to try our best to provide a covered area or stand next to the main pitch where family, friends, supporters and carers can watch the sessions and keep dry making it a more pleasant experience to enjoy sport at our club. It is a known fact to keep participation high and on the up in sport good facilities aid that and bring people in so we want to offer something for everyone at our club.

How we’ll spend the money raised

We are looking to raise £35,000 overall to enable us to improve the club in 3 main areas. 

The first is to carry out extensive works to all 3 of our grass pitches including drainage work , new seeding and fertiliser, sand banding and decompaction. This work on the pitches is to try and counter act the British weather and keep the pitches open all year round to be used therefore keeping people active and engaged. Last season due to the continuous wet weather we had to cancel over 30% of our activities , training and matches this work will ensure we in the best position possible to keep our pitches open all year round. We are looking to raise £10,000 to top up funds we have already saved towards these vital works.

The second aim is to raise £8000 to buy new equipment such as balls, tackle bags, cones, and training aids for our all stars special needs squad, our girls squad, our over 55 years Walking rugby squad and our new visually impaired rugby squad. New equipment for these key groups will not only assist them greatly in their sessions but also make those participating feel a strong connection to the club and part of our active together community that we embrace at Stockport Rugby Club. 

The third target area for improvement works with funds raised is to have ground works and pathways put in and around our grounds for our new 100 seater covered stand to enhance access for all sections of the community and improve the overall sport club experience and for people when at the club.  This will provide wheel chair access and assistance in accessing facilities. We are looking to raise £17,000 to help complete these works.

Community impact

The wider impact of Stockport Rugby Club is massive ! our home is a magnet for the northwest for not only sporting events but social, charity and fundraising events too. Our club proudly hosts the largest fireworks festival in the north west every November with over 6000 of the local community in attendance each year.

July sees us host the annual "Hits on the Pitch " music festival where 4000 people of all ages attend a wonderful 2 days music festival.

In addition to these large events we hold dog shows, Walking rugby, Football tournaments, Bootcamps, Running sessions , corporate events, weddings, birthdays, christenings and much more !

It says rugby club above the door but we really are proven to be a community sports and social club loved by residents of the stockport area and beyond. We cater for everyone and pride ourselves on opening our doors to all.

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!

This project successfully funded on 12th September 2024