Sports Minister Nigel Adams has praised the work of RLWC2021 after visiting two Rugby League community clubs benefitting from the £10 million CreatedBy grant programme.
Adams visited Ovenden and Stanningley last week after they received grants to help refurbish their facilities.
Ovenden through the OSCA Foundation, have been awarded £55,000 to rebuild their multi-sport clubhouse, which is currently derelict and resulted in a lack of changing rooms.
But the redevelopment will provide four new changing rooms, a state-of-the-art function room and catering facilities.
Meanwhile, Stanningley have received £8,300 towards a renovation of their changing room facilities.
Speaking at Ovenden, Adams said: “I’m amazingly impressed.
“It’s a really inclusive tournament, if you look at what they’re doing with the men’s tournament, the women’s tournament and the wheelchair tournament, which is brilliant. But really crucially is the legacy cash, part of the £25 million investment we’ve put into this tournament is being spent up front to make sure it’s being distributed to the grassroots, in the communities like this in Halifax where rugby league is basically the heart and soul.
“Our total budget is £25m, £10m is for legacy projects. That amount of money has never been spent on grassroots rugby league projects before. That is huge, that for us is important because the Prime Minister talks about levelling up the North and investment in Rugby League tends to be in the North. There are 60 odd projects that have already been processed and approved, this is enormous news and fantastic news for Rugby League.”
Adams outlined his hopes for the project, which is set to benefit over 200 community clubs once the full funding is distributed.
“Participation, changing people’s live, especially in communities that have challenges, having more people playing sport leading healthier lives and rugby league has that opportunity for women, men and wheelchair athletes as well. That has to be the whole point of the whole legacy. You’re absolutely right to say some of these clubs haven’t been awash with investment in the past, this is a game-changer.
