2 September, 2009
MP OPENS JUNIOR FC’S CLUBHOUSE
John Healey MP has officially opened a Rotherham junior football team’s new clubhouse – which has been built by volunteers.
Around 50 parents and managers of Rawmarsh St Joseph’s JFC knocked down the old wooden pavilion and put up the new building over a long weekend.
They even camped out at the site off Back Lane, Nether Haugh, Rawmarsh, to make sure it wasn’t vandalised.
The new clubhouse has a snack bar, toilets, clubroom and six changing rooms.
Club chairman Pete Telling said they applied for grants from various sources but found the club needed to raise half of the money for the build themselves – so they decided to go it alone.
He said: “To have this built would have cost £150,000. We had saved up £30,000. So we got all the parents and managers together and got all the labourers – we had bricklayers, roofers, joiners, scaffolders etc – to give their skills for free. It cost £23,000 and we did it in a weekend.”
Mr Healey said: “I want to pay tribute to all the parents, managers and committee members who helped make sure their vision for a clubhouse became a reality – they should be really proud of themselves for taking the initiative and putting in the hard work.
“This will provide a much warmer, safer and more pleasant environment for the many children who already get so much enjoyment out of playing for St Joseph’s. And I hope this will encourage even more youngsters to join.”
The club did receive a grant of nearly £50,000 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to pay for mains electricity to be provided. Murphys Contractors completed the connection for free and Bramalls donated a kitchen.
They were also helped by the Probation Service – ex-offenders under the Community Payback scheme helped paint and finish the building.
St Joseph’s JFC has around 200 players in 14 boys’ and girls’ teams and around 50 adults involved as coaches, managers and committee members.
Former players and officials have been invited to attend the opening on Friday, when Mr Healey will unveil a plaque.
Members of the current committee will also be there, along with James Hope-Gill (Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA) and Matthew Hardman (Sheffield Junior League Chairman).