Media Release - RFU Lead Up and Legacy Grant for St. Ives RUFC

RUGBY Union in St Ives RUFC received a major boost today when St Ives RUFC was chosen by the Rugby Football Union to become a Lead Up and Legacy Centre for the 2015 Rugby World Cup which is being staged in England and Wales.

Supporting the choice of the St Ives as a Legacy Centre is a grant of £35,000 which, in addition to the £5,000 Groundmatch Award made available to the Club by the Rugby Football Foundation, will be used to complete the fitting out of the new changing rooms at the club and confirm a partnership between the RFU and club to be Fit for 2015. Volunteer members of the Club finished construction of the extended building in April. The new grant will ensure that the new facilities will be ready for the new season in September.

Hosting the World Cup provides an opportunity to deliver a huge participation legacy for rugby union and the RFU has committed a £10m investment which will create a network of over 500 Lead Up and Legacy Centres aimed at providing a platform on which club rugby participation throughout England can be built.

“The new facilities will improve the quality of the rugby experience for everyone using the Club and provide more playing opportunities, especially for local people in the 14-24 age-group.” said RFU Area Facilities Manager Peter Shaw.

“This investment will also support the club’s financial sustainability leading into the Rugby World Cup and will create a focus for England 2015 and a lasting rugby union legacy for rugby in the community. The changing room fit out will help the club raise its profile and encourage more players, volunteers and spectators to share the special values that distinguish the sport.”

Club Chairman, Mark Smy, said: “We are delighted that our project has won approval with excellent support from East Midlands RFU. We will now have some of the best facilities in the area that local people from St. Ives, Huntingdon and the surrounding villages and schools can use. The 2015 Rugby World Cup will inspire a new wave of people of all ages to become involved in rugby and this RFU investment will help our club to be even better equipped to welcome newcomers.”

Smy continued, “St Ives RUFC has had an enthusiastic group of hard-working volunteers which has brought us to this point and this funding will enable us to do even more for young people in the community in the future.”

St. Ives is one of many clubs across England benefitting from investment through the RFU Lead Up and Legacy fund. To find out more go to www.rfu.com/betterfacilities.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For more information about St Ives projects, contact

For more information about the RFU Lead UP and Legacy Fund, contact Peter Shaw – at .