LEIGH MR ARLFC COMPLETE DRAINAGE AND LIGHTING PROJECT
On Friday, 15th January, 2010 Nigel Wood, Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League, who is also in charge of grass roots development funding visited our Club and was accompanied by together with
Andy Burnham , MP for Leigh and Minister for Health and Lord Peter Smith, leader of Wigan Council. These gentlemen are pictured, together with
Carol Doran from the Rugby Football League and Trevor, Cliff and Steve from the Club. They took time to inspect the recent lighting and drainage development in which the RFL funding, via Sport England, played a most significant part.
It has taken us five years altogether and started with a £3,500 consultancy report explaining why and how the drainage should be done. The actual drainage plan and lighting can be found here. We have had the vast majority of our pitches drained and the first team pitch illuminated. The total cost to the Club is a daunting £¼M. The drainage and lighting cost £195,000 and the fees a further £19,000, which together, including VAT, add up to £¼M.
Trevor Barton MBE, Life President of the Club and Project Leader said, “We have 16 acres of land here at Leigh Miners Rangers. Normally you only see the main pitch from the road but there are another six pitches and a training area behind that. It is that area that has been drained.”
The RFL Community Development Fund contributed £80,000 with £30,000 coming from Viridor and a further £30,000 from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts. (This is the second time this great funding organisation has helped the Club. We will not forget that back in 1995 they gave us £60,000 to build the Clubhouse, which of course then was worth an awful lot more than it is now.).
In addition, local Councillors John O’Brien and Fred Walker from Leigh South and Leigh East collectively put in £4,000 from their Brighter Borough money and very welcome that was too!
The Club, however, has managed to raise an astonishing £75,000 over the five years of the project but we took the view that it was worth the effort because for every pound invested, we got two pounds back in funding.
Trevor wants to pass on his thanks to the members of the Lighting and Drainage Committee. He told the visitors, “This is an investment for the next 20 years. Over the last 20 years we have invested heavily in regenerating pitches, building the clubhouse and the car park, environmental work, etc. We accept the big responsibility of running a junior club to this standard but we won’t stand still. We do think that we have got the infrastructure about right now so we will concentrate on the wider usage.
“The funny thing about this project is that, apart from the lights, you don’t see a lot for your money on the face of it. However, the number of fixtures that we have played is already up and it will get even better once the worms get to work on the drainage!
“It is a community facility and it will help in hosting events like the Co-Op Tournament, Girls’ Rugby Festivals and other sport-related activities, with less events being called off through the weather.”
Trevor said, “We must not forget the part that Steve Preston from
Bedford
High School played in allowing us to use their pitches when most of our pitches were shut down for a whole season.
“Back in 1995 Peter Casey from the company bearing his name at
Rochdale , gave us enormous support in designing the Clubhouse and setting out the project. We are really pleased that it was his company that won the contract to do the lighting and drainage.
“We’ve also been very much assisted by Groundwork of Wigan in project management over the last five years.”
Trevor wanted the Club to know that Lord Peter Smith and the Council have been very supportive and helped the Club with advice over fund raising, leases, constitutions, etc. and
Andy Burnham is a great supporter as well as have been the local business community and sponsors.
Trevor also wanted to stress that Cliff and Steve, LMR Chairman and Secretary and the Exec have been terrifically supportive of the project and collectively they wanted to thank all the players, the parents and families for raising such a huge amount of money and investing it in our children’s future.
Nigel Wood said, “The contribution that Leigh Miners Rangers ARLFC makes to rugby league now is immense. I am aware of the number of amateur clubs playing top flight rugby in this area and I am also aware that eight or nine of the youngsters that have come through the Junior Section are now gracing the new pitch at Leigh Sports Village, playing for Leigh Centurions. This development can only further assist in this seemingly endless conveyor belt of talent.”
Andy Burnham added, “I know what value Leigh Miners Rangers adds to my Constituency. I know they play in black and yellow. The yellow or gold is simply that, a seam of very good youngsters learning the benefit of sport and healthy lifestyle in a community.”
Lord Peter Smith said “"Leigh Miners Rangers can be really proud of their achievements and their contribution to life in Leigh. From the committee through the parents to the youngsters I want to say a big thank you for making Leigh a better place.
