Playing Facilities Update - January 2018

Playing Facilities Update: Jan 2018

Happy New Year!!…...and hopefully 2018 will be an interesting and exciting one for the club.

As you may know, with the tremendous efforts of Andrew and Joe at Oldfield Design, planning permission has now been obtained on the land at the corner of Shutts Lane and Monyash Road for the provision of two pitches, a training area and a welfare building and store. Details can be found on the Peak Park website https://pam.peakdistrict.gov.uk/?r=NP/DDD/0917/0934

Steve Marnoch has also provided invaluable advice on soil condition, drainage and the work needed to provide sustainable pitches. This is in the process of being costed up but we must be looking at somewhere in the region of £100,000.

We are also in the process of finalising the 25 year lease from Lord Edward, due to start on 1 May 2018.

Last week we had a very useful meeting with Peter Shaw of the RFU who gave his support to our proposals and advised on possible sources of funding including the RFU and Sport England. There is still a long way to go and we will need to set up our own fundraising group to explore all avenues. Any suggestions/help/volunteers in this respect would be greatly appreciated.

We are going to have to raise our profile within the community and attract sponsors from local and national companies. If anyone has any contacts or names which might help in this respect please let me or any other member of the committee know so we can make the appropriate approach.

These are exciting times for the Club but come at a time when playing numbers are a real problem. The senior side is having a difficult season, we have lost teams in the Junior section and the Minis are gamely battling away as ever.

With our own ground and its close proximity to LMS, hopefully we will attract players at all levels and things can only improve…..but no doubt it will not be easy or straightforward.

All I can ask is that we do not give up the fight and stick at it!!

Watch this space!!

Denzil

Updated 21:00 - 31 Aug 2019 by Henry Bagshawe