Strabane RFC Fencing Project at our Rugby Pitch

Aim

Help us secure our Rugby Pitch in Strabane- by installing fencing to keep the pitch in good condition, safe from vandalism and damage.

Who are we?

Strabane Rugby Football Club is the only rugby club serving Strabane and its surrounding rural areas. Over recent years, the club has grown significantly and is now one of the most active and well-attended rugby clubs in Tyrone, particularly in youth participation. We have 100+ youth members and 60+ seniors from all backgrounds and age groups, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and community engagement.

Our activities include adult rugby, a full youth and mini section, and structured rugby programmes delivered Monday to Saturday across the province. All sessions are led by IRFU-qualified coaches, ensuring high standards of safety, development, and player welfare.

We currently support 100+ youth players across U14, U16, and U18 (boys), 55 mini boys, and 7 mini girls, with clear plans for growth. Over 20 IRFU-qualified coaches deliver our programmes, maintaining strong player-to-coach ratios. Our approach focuses on age-appropriate skill development, respect, inclusion, and progression into senior rugby.

The club works closely with local schools and community partners including Holy Cross College, Knockavoe Special School, Strabane Grammar, Castlederg High, and several local primary schools. We are piloting a disability tag rugby programme and are developing a new home facility at the former Strabane Grammar site to support future growth.

We are also committed to increasing female participation. Our “Tackle Like a Girl” initiative (Crowdfunded) introduced over 20 weeks of fun, inclusive sessions aimed at building confidence and creating pathways for future youth and senior female teams. From this we have a growing female Club.

Through strong leadership across the Club in recent years we deliver a vibrant, community-focused rugby programme. Supported by initiatives like our Mini Lions group and school mascot Leo the Lion, we continue to make rugby accessible, enjoyable, and inclusive for all in Strabane.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are launching a crowdfunding campaign to secure the playing field at Strabane Rugby Football Club Bradley Way Pitch, by installing robust perimeter fencing.

Despite our growth and investment in youth and female rugby in particular, our pitch at Bradley Way in Strabane is vulnerable to severe damage, unauthorised access and vandalism. The pitch does not have any fencing currently. 

In recent years there has been fires on the pitch, illegal dumping, vandalism, damage caused by cars, weekly anti social behaviour, broken glass on the pitch, dog fouling and much more. 

These incidents often leave the surface unsafe and unplayable, forcing us to cancel or relocate training and matches at short notice (which is extremly diffuclt considering its the only Rugby pitch in Strabane). 

This disruption particularly affects our youth and girls’ teams, who rely on consistent access to a safe, well-maintained pitch to develop skills and confidence.

It also undermines the hard work of our volunteers and coaches, who invest significant time growing rugby in Strabane over the years, and in maintaining the facilities we have. The ongoing damage impacts morale, community pride, and the club’s ability to deliver inclusive, high-quality rugby programmes for all.

In the past year alone, we have spent over £15,000 on pitch repairs and maintenance directly related to vandalism, fire damage, and vehicle misuse on the pitch. This year, training and matches have already been cancelled or relocated on 5 separate occasions due to broken glass, dog fouling, and surface damage, severely impacting our players—particularly our youth and girls’ teams who depend on consistent access to a safe playing environment.

As usage increases with the popularity of Rugby growing in Strabane- with daily training sessions, competitive matches and community outreach activities such as our PHA funded programmes and Tbuc Camps- so does the risk of wear and tear beyond normal use. Without secure fencing, we face repeated funds going to fixing the pitch with upgrades, degraded playing surfaces and increased maintenance costs.

By raising funds for fencing through this Crowdfunder, we aim to:

- Protect the pitch surface so that our squads—from mini, girls to senior—can train and play in safe, quality conditions.

-Prevent unauthorised access outside club hours, reducing incidents of vandalism and damage which disrupt our schedule and incur repair costs.

- Improve community perception and stewardship by establishing an enclosed, managed rugby environment which can also be used for outreach and school-based activities.

This project is critical for sustaining our club’s growth, safeguarding the playing surface for current and future players, and supporting our inclusive community programmes. Every contribution brings us one step closer to delivering secure home ground fit for purpose.

See the video for examples of the damage caused, and the images below. This demonstrates the importance and urgency of this Crowdfunder.

Olympic Legacy Fund Alignment

Our project strongly aligns with the objectives of the Olympic Legacy Fund by promoting participation, equality, and sustainability in community sport while protecting a vital local facility for long-term use. 

It's important to note also how Rugby is very much a growing sport in Strabane but is still a minoirty sport.

Strabane Rugby Football Club provides inclusive rugby opportunities for all ages, from minis to adults, and is the only rugby club in Strabane and surrounding rural areas. We deliver daily training, competitive matches, and community programmes that encourage physical activity, teamwork, and wellbeing. However, our Bradley Way pitch remains unfenced and highly vulnerable to vandalism, anti-social behaviour, and damage.

In the past year alone, we have spent over £15,000 on pitch repairs and maintenance directly related to vandalism, fire damage, and vehicle misuse on the pitch. This year, training and matches have already been cancelled or relocated on 5 separate occasions due to broken glass, dog fouling, and surface damage, severely impacting our players—particularly our youth and girls’ teams who depend on consistent access to a safe playing environment.

Installing secure fencing will directly address these challenges, ensuring the facility is safe, protected, and available year-round. It will reduce costly repairs, prevent unauthorised access, and allow funds to be redirected toward coaching, youth development, and female participation initiatives.

The project also aligns with the Fund’s sustainability and inclusion goals by protecting a key community sports asset such as our rugby pitch were limited rugby pitches exist in our Strabane community, supporting participation growth among underrepresented groups, and enabling ongoing delivery of health and wellbeing programmes such as our Public Health Agency-funded initiatives and T:BUC summer camps.

By safeguarding the only rugby pitch in Strabane, this investment will leave a lasting legacy—supporting the Olympic values of participation, equality, and community benefit, while ensuring a secure, high-quality facility for current and future generations of players.

How we’ll spend the money raised

We are raising £49,320 to install 425m of 2m-high Ibex security fencing around our Bradley Way Rugby Pitch, protecting it from vandalism and damage and ensuring safe, consistent use for all.

Through the Sport NI Olympic Legacy Fund, 75% (£36,990) of the total cost will be provided, but only once we successfully raise £12,330 from at least 90 individual donors through this Crowdfunder.

All funds raised will go directly toward fencing materials, installation, groundwork, and access gates. To ensure best value and transparency, we have obtained three like-for-like contractor quotes, each confirming the same specification, standards, and installation requirements.

This fundraising will deliver long-term protection for our only rugby pitch here in Strabane, reducing costly repairs, preventing vandalism, and safeguarding a vital community sports facility for hundreds of rugby players- supporting youth, girls, and disability rugby, alongside wider community and sport health and wellbeing programmes throughout the year.

Community impact

As the only Rugby Club in Strabane and surrounding rural areas, our Club plays a vital role in the social, physical, and community life of Strabane and its surrounding rural areas. As the only rugby club in the region, we provide access to sport and physical activity for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities—helping to build health, confidence, and community cohesion.

Beyond rugby, the club serves as an important community hub. Our facilities are used not only for training and matches but also for a wide range of community, health, and youth initiatives. We work in partnership with local schools, the Public Health Agency and Education Authority and community organisations to deliver inclusive programmes such as our T:BUC Camps, PHA-funded health improvement sessions, and disability tag rugby in partnership with Knockavoe Special School. These initiatives promote mental and physical wellbeing, inclusion, and positive youth engagement.

The club has also created targeted programmes like “Tackle Like a Girl”, introducing girls to rugby and building pathways into youth and senior sport (Crowdfunded and Sport NI funded last year). We are equally focused on providing safe, positive spaces for young people, helping to reduce isolation and anti-social behaviour through regular structured activity.

Our facilities are increasingly used for community events, family fun days, and school activities, providing a shared space that promotes pride and belonging. As participation grows, the club continues to deliver outreach through local schools, including Holy Cross College, Castlederg High, and several local primary schools, encouraging active lifestyles from an early age.

The wider community benefits from a vibrant, inclusive sports environment that supports wellbeing, lifelong participation, and local identity. By maintaining and improving our facilities, we ensure that Strabane RFC remains a safe, accessible, and welcoming hub that connects people through sport, education, and community development—positively impacting hundreds of individuals across the district each year.

With the pitch secured and protected, we will expand our Clubs community and participation programmes significantly in 2026. Increased pitch availability will allow us to deliver a full annual schedule of rugby development sessions, outreach activities, and health-focused initiatives without disruption.

We plan to grow our Mini Lions early years programme for children aged 4–7, expand youth rugby for boys and girls across U12–U18 levels, and establish our first senior ladies’ team. We will also deliver more school rugby festivals and cross-community events in partnership with local primary and post-primary schools.

Our disability tag rugby sessions with Knockavoe Special School will run more regularly, giving young people with additional needs consistent access to sport. In addition, our Public Health Agency-funded health and wellbeing programmes Dads and Lads tag rugby programme and cross community T:BUC camps programme will benefit from a safe, dependable venue, enabling greater participation and long-term engagement across the community.

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