15. September 2018 Update - Orrell and Winstanley Community Sports Club

Since our last update, there has been a lot going on regarding our Joint Venture to achieve a new home for both ourselves and our JV partner………. In a nutshell, we will access the land in October 2019, prepare the pitches between June and October 2020, ready for playing rugby September 2021 and the start of or mid 2022 season for cricket, with the overall organisation structure in place by the end of 2018!

Key to all of this is the fundraising we are all doing. Both clubs need to provide ‘additionality’ in support of all our grant submissions (to demonstrate that all our members are committed to seeing the project through to a successful completion) and therefore inspire confidence within the grant authorities.

Overall Project Status
We’ve had strategy meetings; fundraising meetings, branding meetings looking at how we promote and sell ourselves; meetings with our solicitor and the farmer’s representatives to secure our possession of the land - which we are very happy to report is now progressing and we should secure possession of the land in October/November 2019.

Construction will now begin in June 2020 on both rugby pitches and hopefully finish around October 2020. The cricket square sowing itself is anticipated to start in late August/ September 2020.

The project has also received fantastic support from local community organisations, who have provided us with Letters of Support. These will be a great boost to our funding bids and would greatly enhance our applications.

Organisational Structure
So, who is going to run/organise these pitches now that we are on our way in progressing the construction? Well, as we said above, we’ve been holding strategy meetings to review all these things. We have decided to put our application for Charitable Status on hold until our facilities are more established, but we are still applying for CASC status in the meantime (as a Community Amateur Sports Club). The rules state its main purpose must be to provide facilities for and promote participation in one or more eligible sports. It must be non-profit making, be open to all and not pay its players, - although expenses may be paid. Benefits accrue from Local Authority rate relief and ‘tax back’ payments from any Gift Aided donations.

In moving to CASC status the timescale means that Orrell RUFC will be incorporated as a rugby section and WPCC will be incorporated as a cricket section within OWCSC on 1st November 2018. Both “sections” will lose their individual legal entity on that date but Orrell RUFC will continue to play rugby under that banner and WPCC will continue to play cricket under their own banner.

The top-level structure of OWCSC is being discussed at a JV meeting on October 12th. Sub committees will also be structured, and we will be looking for willing volunteers to sit on the sub-committees for both rugby and cricket (or both).

 
Orrell and Winstanley Community Sports Club Rugby Section Update
Discussions and meetings have been held with the RFU who are very supportive of the project and the proposed design and will help with funding and grant support. The conditions laid down by the planners will be finalised and addressed with completion of these anticipated by May 2020. The final surveys for the design and construction of the fencing will begin from October next year through to March 2020. The above work will then allow the rugby section to prepare the land for the 2 rugby pitches between June and October 2020 ……………… ready for rugby in September 2021!

Orrell and Winstanley Community Sports Club Cricket Section Update
There was also a recent WPCC meeting with the ECB/LCF, which was extremely positive. The ECB/LCF are also very supportive of the project; the cricket ground design and the likelihood of getting grant support - particularly if in 2020 fiscal year - which fits in nicely with the timescale above. You may or may not know, that the ECB recommends 18 months to 2 years to create a mature square so, if blessed with good autumnal conditions for seed germination, WPCC may start playing in either April 2022 - mid 2022 or at the latest the start of the 2023 season. WPCC still have a three-year window on their current facility from date of initial land access which sees them through to the end of the 2022 season.

Fundraising
Our fundraising is progressing well and between both clubs, we have secured some donations and pledges but now we have our timeline, both clubs need to step things up further from now so that we meet our target of £200K “additionality” by the time grant submissions are started in September 2019.

So, how can you help?

Well you could support the next big fundraiser which is the Orrell and Winstanley October Beerfest (aka Beer, Gin & Prosecco Festival) at Holland Hall on 20/21 October - full details are available on the website but anyone wishing to get involved (maybe help pull a few pints) should contact Orrell RUFC’s Glynn Worley via email at glynnworley@blueyonder.co.uk.

Other events you could support include our Bonfire Night on 4th November; the dinner dance on 24th November; Orrell RUFC Sports Dinner in March next year or the Orrell RUFC golf day or the (new to the calendar) Ascot Ladies Day (to be held at Houghwood Golf Club… no travel to Ascot required just a chance to dress up and pretend we’re at Ascot) ….. or you could just donate a sum of money to the pot - especially if you haven’t responded to our brochure appeal of last year; please revisit what we are trying to achieve - we need your help to build on our funds. Make your pledge or donate now!

Alternatively, please volunteer to help us with our fundraising or by organising an event or just spreading the word about what we are trying to do. Whatever it is, please get involved and help us not just raise the monies we need but achieve our ambition of a new home for both clubs and provide a facility and legacy for the community of Orrell & Winstanley and beyond.

If you would like any more information or details on any of the above (or the project in general) please contact either Mike Shore or Tony Dillon at WPCC or Tony Havlin at Orrell RUFC.