Wattstown RFC Field Facilities Upgrade

Aim

Help us replace old, leaking metal roofs with durable EPDM rubber and proper guttering to protect them for the future.

Lenny’s Lugger is a community refreshment facility located at the field of Wattstown RFC in the Rhondda. It is run by volunteers to provide refreshments and generate some small incomes to support the grass roots rugby teams. Lenny is the nickname of Alun Mardon who sadly died aged 25 years old while playing for Wattstown rugby club on the same field the refreshment facility is located. So, when the lugger was first placed at the field it seemed very fitting to name it in memory of Alun ‘Lenny’s’

Field Hospitality Cabin is a community facility located at the field of Wattstown RFC in the Rhondda. It is run by volunteers to provide a guest area that generates hire and use incomes from to support the grass roots rugby teams.

Wattstown RFC started back in 1976, when a few men decided they were bored of the routine of sitting in the bar of local pub and wanted some better excitement. The home grass playing field facility is renowned throughout the Rhondda and further wider for its quality and high match standard surface. Volunteers at the club have taken positive action in the last few years to improve the facility with the placement of a new storage container that serves the public with hot and cold refreshments, public benches, score board, welcome and other public information signs as per Wattstown RFC 10-year development club plan. This is a key community facility that been used by many of groups outside of the Wattstown RFC team’s use (this includes the Wattstown Walking Rugby). Use by Penygraig Women’s Rugby Team,  Tylorstown u16s, Ystrad Rhondda and Tylorstown Youth Teams and has hosted several charity fundraising events over the years.

Problem we got is that both of these community club facilities have metal roofs and even our efforts to paint them, the both of them are rusting and we are worried that they will fail and start to leak in water so not practical in their current form for the future.

Solution that been agreed with our club volunteers following advice from a supplier is to have a new roofing frame fitted to mount an EPDM rubber roof, along with cluttering to take the water away from both buildings. 

An EPDM roof is a roofing membrane made from a synthetic rubber called ethylene propylene diene monomer. It's known for being durable, flexible, and waterproof, with high resistance to UV radiation and temperature extremes. EPDM is a popular choice for low-slope and flat roofs on both residential and commercial buildings, and it can have a lifespan of over 50 years. This seems very fitting that we celebrate our clubs 50th year anniversary this season 2025/2026 and a successful project will keep our facilities functional for another 50 years.

This project successfully funded on 1st March 2026