Three community clubs receive latest RLWC2021 grant

Rugby League World Cup 2021 have revealed the latest recipients of its grants for community clubs, which has taken the total funding for the large grants project to over £10 million.

The grants have been delivered by RLWC2021 in partnership with the RFL, Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and have already seen several community sides benefit by investing in new facilities and equipment.

The latest three grants mark one year to go until the men’s and women’s double-header World Cup Finals take place at Old Trafford.

The latest grants have been awarded to the following clubs:

Thatto Heath Crusaders (St Helens) – The project will see the club convert an existing grass pitch to a carpet hybrid pitch. It will also aim to combat fixture cancellation due to bad weather. Match quality floodlighting will be installed to maximise the potential use of the pitch.

Siddal ARLFC (Halifax) – The grant will be used to convert an existing grass pitch to a carpet hybrid pitch with floodlighting. This will lead to increased levels of participation in the local community, while reducing the amount spent on hiring external training facilities due to an unplayable pitch.

Victoria Park ARLFC (Warrington) – The project will see £600,000 investment for the creation of a new 3G pitch. The investment will transform the club into a community hub for the development and growth of rugby league in Warrington. The grant is to be used to help grow Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL), Learning Disability Rugby League (LDRL) and women’s and girls’ rugby league. The site will also be the home of all fixtures for the PDRL World Cup, apart from the final, in 2021.

RLWC2021 chief executive Jon Dutton said: “With exactly a year to go until our finals at Old Trafford our social impact programme is really making a difference. To achieve £10million worth of new projects that will leave a long lasting legacy in community rugby league is fantastic.

“As a tournament with a purpose we are dedicated to using the next twelve months to continue this much needed investment programme through the pledge that UK Government have made to the tournament.

“We are confident that these new developments will become an essential part of their respective communities, offering future generations of the rugby league family a place to develop, while also having a positive impact on the larger community.”