Facilities
As stated in the history the original idea for the clubhouse began back in 1996 when we moved to the Triangle Field. The initiative was taken up by the Town Council who obtained planning permission for a grand two storey pavilion, funded by a number of clubs and societies. When this project stalled, HRFC took control of a part of the overall vision and got planning permission for the revised plan in November 2006. The rugby club quickly got the project underway turning the first sod at the junior tag tournament in January 2007, with the serious work getting underway in August of that year.
We were keen to minimise the financial exposure of the club, and utilise the skills and enthusiasm of the members. To achieve this we undertook the project ourselves, with the enthusiastic support of a number of local companies. Over 80 club members and members of the community contributed to the build in one way or another. This approach has not only saved the club money but also means that there are a lot of local people that can take pride in this achievement.
The funding of the clubhouse was always going to be one of the major challenges as one of the conditions of the project was that there would be no access to public funds. Whilst the vast majority of the money has been raised by the club we have been fortunate with grants from the Greenham Trust and the RFU, along with loans from the RFU and Berks RFU. Despite the extra expenses incurred by the storage area fire we finish the project with loans of only £30,000, far less than the predicted amount.
The project was set up not just to build a clubhouse but to give the club a home and a heart. As we come to the projects conclusion, our hopes have been exceeded. The club has a greater number of players than ever before, fielding two regular senior teams, a thriving junior section and an occasional veterans team. The club is justifiably proud of its achievements and feel that we have delivered a great facility that will drive growth for the club and enhance the community.
The clubhouse is available for hire however this will be only provided to a few people as it is at heart a rugby club. Any interest should be pointed to our Bar Manager - Simon Ford.
We were keen to minimise the financial exposure of the club, and utilise the skills and enthusiasm of the members. To achieve this we undertook the project ourselves, with the enthusiastic support of a number of local companies. Over 80 club members and members of the community contributed to the build in one way or another. This approach has not only saved the club money but also means that there are a lot of local people that can take pride in this achievement.
The funding of the clubhouse was always going to be one of the major challenges as one of the conditions of the project was that there would be no access to public funds. Whilst the vast majority of the money has been raised by the club we have been fortunate with grants from the Greenham Trust and the RFU, along with loans from the RFU and Berks RFU. Despite the extra expenses incurred by the storage area fire we finish the project with loans of only £30,000, far less than the predicted amount.
The project was set up not just to build a clubhouse but to give the club a home and a heart. As we come to the projects conclusion, our hopes have been exceeded. The club has a greater number of players than ever before, fielding two regular senior teams, a thriving junior section and an occasional veterans team. The club is justifiably proud of its achievements and feel that we have delivered a great facility that will drive growth for the club and enhance the community.
The clubhouse is available for hire however this will be only provided to a few people as it is at heart a rugby club. Any interest should be pointed to our Bar Manager - Simon Ford.
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