Redcar Rugby Club gets funding for new pitch solely for women and girls

Redcar Rugby Club is set to build what is believed to be the country's first pitch dedicated solely for women and girls.

They have been given funding with plans for female changing facilities too.

It follows a huge growth of female participation in the club and as excitement builds ahead of the Women's World Cup next month.

It all started after one girl 14 year-old Charlotte, became was frustrated in 2021 that she could no longer play when she became too old for mixed rugby.

Undeterred she approached her dad, Paul – known as ‘Jonno’ - who started the girls’ section which has taken off and now has four teams and more than 90 women and girls from ages 11 and upwards. This is also the first year two girls at the club have been picked to play for Yorkshire County.

Jonno said: "As a result of Charlotte's team being I suppose the first ones, a senior women's team has now started as well with over 30 women from 18 through to a little bit older than that, all playing as well. We're flying. The junior section and the women and girls section is flying.

"I'm very proud that Redcar Rugby Club has fully backed the girls massively and this grant is going to make a huge difference, not just to the women and girls section, but to the whole club by giving us space and more changing facilities is going to be massive for us.

"I think the Women's World Cup is going to be a massive opportunity for the game. Watch this space from September and October because it's coming and the opening game's in Sunderland. We're putting on loads of events on in Redcar and I really see it being able to spotlight what a great sport it is and how good we are at it in England. We'll win that final."

Charlotte said: "I like the social side. I have some really good friends and it's quite challenging. It's not an easy sport to play and that's what I quite like about it.

"I'm really excited and I think it's just amazing. I never thought it would come to this."

Now the women’s club is actively participating in official Rugby Football Union (RFU) efforts to grow the game as part of the Women’s World Cup, with the opening ceremony taking place in Sunderland on Friday 22nd August.

As well as holding a World Cup Activity Day in Redcar, three coaches, Yvonne Jones, Freya Atkinson and Danielle Gavigan will be taking part in the Grassroots to Global Forum at Sunderland during the whole week prior to the opening ceremony with delegates from around the world coming to together to work on ways to develop and grow the women’s game.

Danielle said: “There’s a lot of buzz around the club. Many club members are attending the opening game and other games in the surrounding areas such as York, we are committed and determined to grow the women and girls’ game in Redcar.

"We’ve just had some team members come back after pregnancy and, at the same time, we’ve also had women coming who have never touched a rugby ball in their lives. These new facilities will give us our own space - and it shows how much we’ve grown and how seriously the whole club is taking the women’s game. We’re very grateful to the club and the council for this opportunity and we’re going to grab it like a rugby ball – with both hands!”

Cabinet Member for Climate and Culture, Cllr Carrie Richardson, said: “This is just one of many sports grant funding projects but it shows just how important clubs like this really are for our community.

"It’s been wonderful to see how everyone at the club has worked together to bring so many people together. Sport is for everyone and I’m delighted that this particular scheme will help ensure girls and women right across the borough have access to rugby in a way that they wouldn't have had.

"Some of the coaches are visionary and ground-breaking and they can't be thanked enough. I’m sure these new facilities will only help the women and girls’ teams – and the whole club – thrive even more.”

Discussing the wider Grass Roots Sports Funding scheme, Cabinet Member for Health, Welfare and Housing, Cllr Ursula Earl, said: “This isn’t only about improving club facilities across a wide range of sports. It’s about bringing people together, improving access to sport in communities across the borough and helping people improve their health and wellbeing. It’s an excellent scheme and I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”

Redcar Rugby Club received £31,750 for the new facilities which also enabled the club to successfully apply for a further £10,000 in ‘match-funding’ from Tees Million, part of The Tees Foundation charity

As part of the borough-wide sports grants scheme, the authority has invested has so far invested £320,000 to 19 local clubs. A further £180,000 of council funding has been earmarked to bid for match-funding from various sporting bodies including Sport England, the Football Foundation and local school sports partnerships. If the bid for £2.15m is successful, a total of seven new playzones will be created across the borough.

The investment is designed to:

• ensure clubs have fit-for-purpose facilities for long-term sustainability;

• increase participation in sport across the borough;

• improve access for women, girls, and under-represented groups;

• support the delivery of national and local health and sport strategies.

The funding is expected to deliver wide-ranging benefits, including:

• improved health through increased physical activity;

• enhanced community cohesion;

• crime reduction by providing structured activities for young people;

• educational benefits through the development of life skills such as teamwork and leadership;

• economic impact via local job creation and business opportunities linked to facility upgrades.

Each funded project has been developed in consultation with local communities and supported by key partners including Sport England, National Governing Bodies and local school sports partnerships.