Lottery Funding ensures celebrations kick off at Cumnock
Friday 27 August 2004
Cumnock Rugby Club will be celebrating the completion of their long awaited clubhouse extension project on Friday 27 August, with a pre-season friendly rugby game, followed by an official opening ceremony, conducted by Bill Nolan, General Committee Member of the Scottish Rugby Union. Thereafter there will be a prize giving ceremony and buffet and dance for members of the club and the local community.
Supported by an award of £158,960 from sportscotland’s Lottery funded Sports Facilities Programme, the clubhouse now boasts additional changing and shower facilities for players, visitors and officials, a brand new fitness room, an extended function room and kitchen for coaching and match hospitality and improved storage facilities. The club hopes that the new high quality clubhouse will attract more people and establish the club as a community based, sporting hub.
“The new extension will enable the club to move forward with confidence, it will allow us to expand our player base at all levels and develop the game of rugby within the local community.
The club was founded in 1961, when rugby enthusiasts Jim Donaldson, Alan Davidson and Ronnie Houston found that their attempts to form a local rugby team were hindered by a lack of training and changing facilities in the Cumnock area. After lengthy discussions with the headmaster of the newly built St Conval’s school, they were granted permission to use the school’s facilities.
An advert detailing proposals for the formation of a rugby team was placed in the Cumnock Chronicle and after a brief meeting with interested local people to discuss the practicalities, Cumnock Rugby Football Club was born on 6 October 1961.
Cumnock RFC is currently home to two senior teams who compete in the BT National League, Division 4, as well as an under 17’s team, a midi team (secondary 1 – 3) and a mini team (primary 4 – 7). The new facilities are sure to benefit all of the players, strengthening the club and ensuring that they all have the opportunity to develop their skills and reach their full potential.
The club runs a strong youth development programme, working closely with the SRU Youth Development Officer and providing access to the pitch to local schools. The club regularly sends representatives into schools in the area to talk to the children about rugby and provide taster sessions. They hope that by introducing more children to the sport, participation rates will be boosted, producing the senior players of the future.
Hugh Laidlaw, President, Cumnock Rugby Club said: “The club is delighted that the new extension is now complete. A lot of hard work and effort has been put into the development by our main contractor J. Wilson and Sons (Auchmillan) Ltd and in particular the club members who have worked long and hard to enable the project to reach a successful conclusion.
“The new extension will enable the club to move forward with confidence, it will allow us to expand our player base at all levels and develop the game of rugby within the local community.
“The standard of facility we now have at Cumnock RFC can compare with the best in the country and we are extremely grateful to our funders sportscotland, Cumnock and Doon Valley Minerals Trust, East Ayrshire Council and a further award from The Coalfield Regeneration Trust towards the development of the new function area. Without the support of these bodies the project could not have happened. I feel confident that the club will now grow and become a major focal point for rugby within the west of Scotland.”
Alastair Dempster, Chairman, sportscotland added: “I am delighted that the clubhouse project at Cumnock is complete, enabling further development of the club’s membership and extending the community use of the facility.
“Quality, accessible facilities are key to introducing people to the benefits and enjoyment sport can provide. By supporting projects such as this, sportscotland hopes to increase levels of participation and the health of our nation.”
- The official opening of the newly refurbished clubhouse will take place at Cumnock Rugby Football Club, Broomfield House, 55 Auchinleck Road, Cumnock, KA18 1AN. The rugby game will begin at 6pm and thereafter the club will host a buffet and dance event.
- Additional funding for the project was received from Cumnock and Doon Valley Minerals Trust (£35,000) and East Ayrshire Council Match Fund (£10,000).
- This project was also funded by The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (£9,374), which was set up in September 1999 to help tackle the social and economic problems faced by coalfield communities in England, Scotland and Wales. Between September 1999 and March 2002, the Trust spent £50m on 680 projects and is planning to spend at least another £50m by March 2005.
- Cumnock Rugby Football Club is affiliated with the Scottish Rugby Union and East Ayrshire Sports Council.
- You and your representative are invited to attend.