World Cup funding will improve Hunslet Green

Hunslet Green, Home of the Hunslet Warriors, is proud to announce that they have secured funding from CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme, in partnership with Sport England, the Rugby Football League, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and VIY (Volunteer It Yourself).

The grant will be used for three projects in the Clubhouse at The Oval in Hunslet. The exciting projects are designed to encourage more youngsters to join our friendly club and ensure a sustainable future. Hunslet Green is run entirely by volunteers who want to encourage team work, community pride and confidence through healthy activity.

The first project will be to change a disused gents’ urinal area into a girls’ changing room, which can also be used on match days for female officials. The Green is conscious that girls who play in the younger teams may not wish to share changing rooms with their male team mates. By having a separate changing room we hope more girls will feel happy to join our club and participate in healthy activities, building towards a revival of our girls’ team.

The second project will be to create a new Physio area in a little-used, small gym area. By moving our Physio Room to a purpose-made area, this will allow us to move on to our third project.

The third project is one which we hope will help the club to generate a new income stream, which would be re-invested in Hunslet Green. The vacated Physio area would become a new, state-of the -art kitchen on the ground floor. We are planning to have a serving hatch to the pitch side. This would give level access for people with disabilities. We envisage the kitchen would serve hot drinks and snacks on matchdays and also on training nights.

Our Project Partners, VIY, involve young people aged 14-24 years in projects within communities. The youngsters will have supervised, hands-on training in practical skills, such as carpentry and plumbing, leading to City and Guilds qualifications. Using local youngsters again fits perfectly with our ethos here at Hunslet Green. Contact us if you would like to be involved.

Although a large and daunting project, we are looking forward to learning from other organisations, as well as linking even more with our local community. We wish to thank all our partners in the work and hope to see lots of new recruits to the Hunslet Green family.

For more information on our teams or to show interest in joining the project, visit our website hunsletwarriorsrugby.club, or email pabenatmane@yahoo.com

Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, RLWC2021, said:

“The CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme is focused on ensuring the next generation of rugby league players have the best possible experience and barriers to participate are removed. We are delighted to award this grant to Hunslet Green, Home of the Hunslet Warriors, and look forward to seeing the results of this investment that aims to deliver real change in their community.”

Ralph Rimmer, Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League, said:

“Hosting the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 offers so many opportunities for everyone involved in the game in this country and beyond, and the facilities that will be delivered by the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme will be a big part of that transformation.”

Charles Johnston, Property Director, Sport England, said:

“By focusing our efforts on increasing participation in the game, we’re ensuring that the Rugby League World Cup’s legacy lasts long after the last ball has been kicked and the crowds have gone home.”

The Rugby League World Cup 2021 will kick off on 23 October 2021, with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions taking place simultaneously, under one tournament banner for the first time.

This post was written by Pat Benatmane

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