Keswick Rugby Club’s Big Build project is said to be on “a solid financial footing” with the completion date for the new elevated clubhouse now looming.
There is a new fundraising impetus for the club going into 2025 as it drives for the line to get the £58,000 needed to complete the ambitious £1.9m development by the end of March.
Many milestones have already been achieved including the ground works, steel frame, block work, windows and doors and the solar panels.
But the Big Build committee are under no illusion about the mountain they still have to climb during the next three months. The building’s exterior is very close to being finished and now the progress will start to slow to the casual observer as the project is handed over to local tradespeople and suppliers as the decorating stage begins.
Club treasurer Andy Wallace said: “As we enter 2025, the project is on solid financial footing, with total spending to date just over £1.4m.
“Starting with combined reserves of £750,000 from the club and Keswick Community Rugby Trust, the club has also received invaluable support through various grants.
“These include a £300,000 Community Ownership Fund grant, £125,000 from the RFU, £50,000 from Cumberland Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, £30,000 from Keswick Lions, £15,000 from Cumbria Community Foundation’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, £8,000 from Lakes to Sea, £5,000 from Keswick Town Council, £2,500 from the Hadfield Trust, £1,000 from Skipton Building Society, £500 from Keswick Bridge, and £350 from the Lakes and Dales Co-operative. The club also has several additional grant applications currently in progress.
“Fundraising efforts have been relentless, with the club raising over £320,000 through the Keswick Community Rugby Trust. This impressive figure has been achieved through numerous events, activities, and the generosity of members and the local community. Notably, this includes a matched £100,000 donation and an anonymous £50,000 contribution.
“In addition to grants and fundraising, the project has been financed through private loans totalling £600,000, which will be repaid over the next 20 years, along with a 15-year, interest-free loan of £100,000 provided by the RFU. To ensure the project’s continued success, the club is now focused on raising an additional £58,000 in the coming months.”
Club president Tim Green added “From our initial discussions our fundraising effort has been incredible and targets reached, including our critical amount to actually commit to the construction phase and demolish our existing facility at the end of last season.
“The last £58,000, however, is vitally important as it will enable us to finish the clubhouse to the standard we want, furnish it and decorate it so that we can hand it over to our members complete and fit for purpose.
“To this end we are recognising all our donors who gift £1,000 or £5,000 with a paving slab or hearth stone respectively with their name on it.
“The last date for these is Thursday January 16 as the bespoke slates will be manufactured at Honister slate mine and be laid by our contractors.”
To donate to the Big Build use the website https://keswickrugbytrust.org/. Everyone who donates before the paving slab closing date in January will be contacted by email by Tim and will be invited for a private ‘hard hat show round’ of the club during February.
The rugby club’s general committee is now focusing its efforts on the business plan to be implemented post opening. In-house caterers The Keswick Kitchen have now been appointed to look after match day meals, bar meals and function catering and the club bar will be open more hours to serve visitors, locals and club members.
In the coming months a new website will be completed, detailing the function spaces and hire rates and everything will be put in place for the clubhouse to fulfil its ambitions as a community hub.
Tim added: “As a club we’re incredibly lucky to have such talented and knowledgeable volunteers willing to commit so much of their free time.
“Broadly speaking they fit into two groups; the fundraising committee and the Big Build construction committee. Without the tireless work and dedication by these two groups the project would have been a non-starter and I really want to express my thanks to them at this stage of the build.”
“The club is keen to keep the local community abreast of developments during the latter stages of the construction and would urge anyone who wants further information or to get involved to get in touch via the contact details on the website.”
