In the Lake District National Park

Flood News

Keswick Rugby Club
Flood Recovery - a very special 125th Season Project

Update as at May 1st, 2005

Time flies ... and the end of the season is drawing near - we have had a super season on the pitch especially our Youth teams who have managed to win more silverware than in any other year in the Club's history - of course it had to be the one year in our 125 year history when we have no Club House to display them in ...... but thanks to Temple Sports they are on display in Keswick.

For a Club whose ethos is that playing is more important than winning the results on the pitch are a huge bonus especially given that the total population of Keswick is only 7,500 people and that Keswick also has one of the highest over 60's population in the country ! There is no doubt that the investment the Club made in hiring a full time Sports Development Officer 5 years ago to provide extra sports coaching in the secondary and primary schools is paying off.

A brief recap of the Youth Season

Well done to all the players.

Despite all the probems with the floods we have seen a significant increase in youth playing numbers at all ages and at senior level we finished in mid table but more importantly have managed to get the 2nd team playing again before the end of the season.

A huge thank you must go to all the volunteers and parents who since January have devoted considerable time and effort to ensure we played all our games despite so many having to be away fixtures. (they also made considerable contribution to government coffers via petrol duties in the process !).

THE PLANS FOR THE CLUB

First the bad news - with the Club House closed for the foreseeable future and no income coming in we have very reluctantly had to make Ronnie Wilson our Club Steward for the last 8 year redundant. Ronnie has been a tremendous servant for the Club and undertaken many duties well beyond the call of duty from unblocking the sewage to towing camper vans off flooded pitches, our thanks goes to him for his many years of hard work for the Club.

Since the last update there has been considerable work done behind the scenes and here is the update.

The Overall Plan

In simple term we do not believe we should spend money refurbishing what is an old Club House that could flood again tomorrow. Therefore we are putting together a plan that will allow us to build a new Club House which will have changing rooms at ground floor and club house above (and above any future floods). The estimated cost of the new Club house will be between £800,000 and £1,000,000. To fund this we are looking to raise money from the following sources

Insurance Money

Loan from the RFU

Selling some land for a development of Offices

Grants

An Early Years Centre for Keswick

Fund Raising and hard work !

The Planned New Club House

This will have 4 changing rooms with associated showers, referees rooms, toilets, storage and an indoor area. It will be constructed of block work and fittings will be steel and plastic i.e. they will not be affected by any future floods. Above this we will have room for a function room, club room, bar, kitchen and a couple of offices. There will a terrace area at the first floor level. It is probable that the location for the new Club House will be where the current grandstand is located. The office development will be located where the current Club House and squash courts are. Full plans are being drawn up by a specialist sports club architect firm Club Design Ltd of Rochdale.

Looking at the individual Funding Elements:

1. We have decided to negotiate a cash settlement rather than have the insurance company
undertake repairs this will give us the option to use the money towards the new build.
2. We have employed our own Quantity Survey and Structural Engineer to help negotiate
with the insurers.

Loan From RFU

We can apply to the Rugby Football Foundation for up to £100,000 loan at 0% interest repayable over 15 years. The Club believes it has enough income to repay this. Whilst we have to formerly apply for this loan (which will be done in the next few weeks) the RFU have indicated full support for the application.

Office Development

The Lake District planners have indicated they would not oppose a development of offices that will provide between 10-20,000 square feet of modern offices. Because of the confidential and commercial nature of these negotiations we can not give full details but we are in advanced initial negotiations with a developer and we are hopefully they will purchase the land from the Club and this should create a capital receipt towards the new Club House.

Grant Funding

On April 21st we held a meeting with a wide range of potential grant giving bodies including Allerdale Borough Council, Cumbria County Council, Northern Rock Foundation, Sport England, RFU Cumbria, West Cumbria Development Agency and many others. Tony Cunningham MP made the introductory speech followed by a presentation by the Club. Our thanks goes to Tony Cunningham for all his support (and his ability to arm twist). We have had a very positive reaction from everyone who attended have already been invited to make applications.

Early Years

Keswick is one of the government pilot towns for the Market Town Initiative and via the Keswick Area Partnership it is hoped to create an Early Years Centre for Keswick that will provide a facility for mother & toddlers, after school and school holiday clubs and also crèche facilities. The North West Development Agency has allocated grant funding for this project. The project is currently undergoing a full feasibility study but the Club is hoping that it will be chosen as the location for the Centre and this will bring with it grant funding. The Club feels this is a particularly appropriate project to be sited at the rugby club given our huge involvement with Youth in the town already.

Fund Raising & Hard Work !

Schemes are already being hatched and events planned (especially by our mini and junior sections parents) to raise funds - watch this space - we know what Keswick can do when it turns its mind to something !

1. We are proceeding well with negotiations with the County Council to purchase the
freehold of the pitches which are currently on a 99 year lease to the Club.
2. We have started negotiations with Allerdale Borough Council and the Camping &
Caravanning Club to gain a Right of Access down the lane at the side of the Club which
we will probably need.
3. We have received grants and support already from

Cumbria Community Foundation (£4,000)
The RFU (£5,000)
Barclays Bank (Training Equipment)
Cumbria County Council Neighborhood Forum (£500)
Business Link Cumbria (£1,700 towards professional fees)
Keswick Market Traders (£200)

Summary

We are getting very close to having an achievable plan and now we are absolutely determined that as we have got so near we will achieve our goal. There is still a lot that can go wrong, there is definitely an awful lot of work that has to be done. So if you want to help, comment, throw an idea our way (or even better a cheque or two) now is the time !!!

 

Knowing is not enough, we must act.

Willing is not enough, we must do

Wolfgang Von Goethe