The grant will fund and help refurbish the Foundations new facility, The Shining Lights Centre, Sutton Manor. This grant will allow us to improve our facilities to better accommodate the demands of our community and will put us in a position to be even more effective in tackling our community’s needs.
Saints Community Development Foundation is set to receive £50,226 From the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme. Delivered in partnership between RLWC2021, Volunteer It Yourself, St. Helens Council, 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 £50,226.00 was made up of three contributions that of which we are incredibly thankful for:
Volunteer It Yourself – £19,500.00
CreatedBy Grant – £15,363.00
St Helens Borough Council – £15,363.00
The £50,226.00 will be incredibly beneficial to Saints Community Development Foundation, allowing us to redevelop The Shining Lights Centre in Sutton Manor and allowing us to add much needed services within our very own community such as:
- Education Skills Hub within the Centre will help local members of the public gain access to further education/employment
- Continue to develop Rugby League across the borough and the wider Merseyside region
- Digital Skills Hub within the Centre to assist local members of the community to keep up to date with the ever moving world of digital media
- Educating children in Merseyside and surrounding areas about the RLWC and introducing them to the great sport that we call Rugby League
- Creation of community use spaces within The Shining Lights Centre
Steve Leonard, Saints Community Development Foundation’s Director said:
“An important part of hosting such an iconic event as the RL world cup is the legacy that it leaves once the final has ended.”
“Having secured this funding from CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme we can now ensure that this is the case with the Shining Lights Centre at Sutton Manor and its patrons. The investment will touch the lives of many individuals, from all walks of life, some with some real personal challenges and others to just be sociable and keep active. Many of these will be just at the beginning their journey with others taking the time to reflect on times and events gone by.”
“This grant will allow us to improve our facilities to better accommodate the demands of our community and will put us in a position to be even more effective in tackling our community’s needs. I would personally like to thank David Boocock and Terry Bates from The St Helens Borough Council, Ben Fisher from Volunteer It Yourself and to the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme. Delivered in partnership between RLWC2021, The National Lottery, the Rugby Football League, Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport for helping us to make a difference to the St Helens and Merseyside Communities.”
Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Culture and Heritage, said:
“Saints Community Development Foundation have done wonders since locating to the Shining Light Centre. Whether it’s the work they do with children and young people – including supporting the council’s Holiday Activities and Food programmes during the school holidays – or hosting breakfast clubs for veterans, so I’m delighted they have received such a great sum of money from the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme which the council has contributed to.
“By investing this money, we are pledging to support local rugby league teams and fabulous organisations like Saints Community Development Foundation improve their facilities to hopefully influence the next generation of rugby league stars in a borough.”
Tim Reading, CEO of VIY, said:
“Our partnership with Sport England and the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme is all about helping grassroots rugby league clubs to undertake essential facility improvements at the same time as enabling young people who are not in employment, education or training, or at risk of disengagement, to learn and apply vocational trade and construction skills on the job. Our projects are also greatly enhanced by the support of Travis Perkins and Dulux, through the donation of tools and materials and the mobilisation of TP/Dulux staff and trade customers as skills mentors for the young people involved.”
Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, 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 Saints Community Development Foundation 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.”
Ralph Rimmer, Chief Executive of the Rugby Football League, said:
“Hosting the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 offers so many opportunities for everyone involved in the game in this country and beyond, and the projects that will be delivered by the CreatedBy RLWC2021 Capital Grants Programme will be a big part of that transformation. The RFL are proud to be involved in that process, and we congratulate all the successful applicants – and look forward to the impact of this unprecedented level of investment in the game for years to come.”
Charles Johnston, Property Director, Sport England, said:
“We are proud to be working in partnership to deliver the biggest government investment into grassroots rugby league facilities the country has ever seen. With this funding, communities will gain better access to the facilities, improved infrastructure and essential equipment they need to be active. We are pleased the investment will provide benefit to people engaging in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair game, with a focus on those disadvantaged areas where inactivity levels are stubbornly high. By focusing our efforts on increasing participation in the game, we’re ensuring that the Rugby League World Cup’s legacy lasts long after the last ball has been kicked and the crowds have gone home.”
The Rugby League World Cup 2021 will be all inclusive, with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions taking place simultaneously, under one tournament banner for the first time.
Clubs, organisations and communities that run rugby league activities are encouraged to apply for this legacy funding by visiting www.rlwc2021.com/facilities. For further information visit their official social media channels, on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
