ctrfc
13th November 2017A much over due Update !
Today marks another “Red letter day” in the 128-year history of Cheltenham Rugby Club, with the official Turf Cutting Ceremony at Newlands Park marking the start of construction on the much-awaited Changing Room Development.
This exciting news come on the back of the planning meeting of Tuesday the 24th October 2017 where the final consent required for the new RFU funded Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) was granted by Tewkesbury Borough Council.
The committee were honoured to have Dame Janet Trotter Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in attendance to perform the turf cutting formalities and joined by Peter Williams, Chairman of Gloucestershire RFU and local Major and Mayoress of Tewkesbury, Harry Turbyfield and Ruth Hatton.
This £594,000.00 project is expected to be fully completed by July 2018 and to coincide with the installation of the New AGP by the RFU on a 15-week program starting 26/3/2018, subject as ever to contract.
Chairman Steve Ratcliffe said “This is such an important day for the club, we have talked about this project a far back as Aug 2007 when we successfully purchased the ground at Newlands so to finally be starting is a real milestone for everyone involved. Not only do we plan to have the new changing rooms completed in July 2018, but plan to commence our preseason for 2018-19 on the new AGP”.
Steve and the committee of Cheltenham RFC were joined today at Newlands by Barry Hewer, Principal Contractor, Chris Lock of Buildbase the projects principle materials supplier, Ian Henderson, MD of CF Roberts the projects M& E designers and advisors, Andrew Silcock of Silcock Construction Consultancy, Andrew Bird of Clive Petch architects and Eoin Mcquone, Mira Showers.
8Also present First Team Captain James Hillier and Ladies 1st Team captain Jessica Elbeck and Youth development advisor Clive Stuart-Smith (Snr).
The project is being funded with funds from Lloyds bank, The RFU, Rugby Football Foundation, Tewkesbury Borough Council, Gloucestershire playing fields association, The Somerfield Trust, as well as money raised from the “Pitch-in” crowdfund campaign, the highly successful Lions dinner earlier in 2017 and ongoing rugby club fundraising and funds.
On Saturday the 20th January 2018, we are looking to host a “Pitch-in day” at Newlands to coincide with the first team game verses Oldfield Old Boys. The event will allow us to update everyone on our progress, celebrate the ongoing success of the campaign and thank all those involved. Further detail of the event and invites will be sent out shortly.
Over the coming weeks we will sending individual emails to those supporters who kindly pledged during the campaign, with a view to securing all eligible gift aid donations. With the individuals consent we can claim a further sum of gift aid equivalent to 25% of their pledge, so please keep an eye out for these emails.
As part of the successful Crowdfund we offered a wide range of rewards including the opportunity for social and family membership of the club for the 2017/2018 season. Although some have claimed these, we remain committed to grow the Newlands and Cheltenham RFC family so please contact either Dan Townsend from the Pitch-in team or clubhouse manager Lesley Jackson on [email protected] to arrange these. We do still have some key prizes to be drawn and these will be done in conjunction with our monthly update to you or on the Pitch-in day itself in Jan.
The Pitch-in team