A GRASSROOTS rugby club have become the beneficiary of an unprecedented level of investment to help ensure the next generation of rugby league players has the best experience possible.
Aspatria Hornets RLFC have received £17,874 which will help fund the club’s Kubota ST371 tractor with a 60-inch grass cutter deck to ensure playing surfaces are in optimum condition going into the future.
The funding comes from the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme, which is delivered in partnership between RLWC2021, The National Lottery, the Rugby Football League, Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.
The CreatedBy programme is a funding pot made available by the government and the National Lottery to support the legacy of the Rugby League World Cup by growing participation in the sport.
The top-of-the-range tractor cost over £23,000 with the club contributing the remaining £6,000 towards the purchase.
Keith Morley, secretary at Aspatria Hornets RLFC, said: "The club contributed £6,000 towards the tractor and grass cutter which cost a total of £23,874.
"The club will use it to cut the whole eleven acres of Beacon Hill Community School field on a weekly basis during the grass growing season.
"The school and the club work in partnership to maintain the school field on which Aspatria Hornets have a pitch.
"The tractor will also be used to spread fertilizer and aerate the field.
"The field also has a football pitch and in summer an athletics track and three rounders pitch," he said.
Jon Dutton, chief executive of 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 Aspatria Hornets RLFC and look forward to seeing the results of this investment that aims to deliver real change in their community.
"Our thanks go to the government and The National Lottery, and its players, for supporting the CreatedBy programme," he said.
The club has teams for various age groups, with training taking place throughout the week at Beacon Hill School - new players are always welcome.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here