Roughyeds' Community Trust secures Council funding fillip

Oldham RLFC chairman and owner Chris Hamilton

Oldham RLFC's Community Trust has been successful in its application for a £25,000 grant from Oldham Council's Local Improvement Fund (LIF).

Coincidentally, this great news for Roughyeds comes only days after the Rugby Football League's international marketing big boys IMG presented to the sport's full Council their recommended grading criteria to define how Super League, Championship and League One clubs will be assessed, starting from 2025.

If voted through by the Council on April 19, as is confidently expected to happen, illustrative club grades will be released later this year with the grading system coming into full effect in 2025.

Said Oldham RLFC chairman and owner Chris Hamilton: "We wish to publicly thank Oldham Council for approving this £25,000 application and Councillors Chris Goodwin and Colin McLaren for their help and assistance in supporting this project."

Both are Labour Councillors, Councillor Goodwin representing Chadderton South and Councillor McLaren representing Chadderton Central.

The £25,000 will go towards the development of Melrose playing fields in Chadderton which is owned by the Rugby Football League, with Oldham RLFC and Hollinwood community (amateur) club holding a joint long-term lease.

Added Mr Hamilton: "We will now apply to the RFL to match the funding so that we can complete the part-finished extension at Melrose.

"This will enable us and Hollinwood ARLFC, who are joint lessees (lease-holders) with us on that site, to have bigger and better facilities and, as a result, to expand the things we offer to the local community."

The intention is for the new Oldham RLFC women's team to train and play at Melrose and also to see the men's team train at the same Chadderton venue, which will also be the continued and much-improved base for Hollinwood community club, as it has been for many years.

Training for the women's team will run from 10am to noon every Saturday and the club is urging anyone interested to get involved.

It will be headed by new head coach of the women's team, Steve Fitzmartin, who was introduced by Mr Hamilton to sponsors and everyone else in hospitality ahead of the Roughyeds' 62-18 win against London Skolars at the Vestacare Stadium last Sunday in the first Betfred League 1 outing of the season.

Said Fitzmartin, a former assistant coach of the crack St Helens women's team: "We are urging females aged 16 and over to be part of a journey in an exciting sport in which they will also make a lot of new friends."

Anyone wanting to get involved is asked to email: oldhamwomenrlfc@outlook.com or contact the club on social media.

* The Local Improvement Fund (LIF) was established by Oldham Council in 2019 to provide funding for projects across the borough that aim to improve Oldham's neighbourhoods, districts and local communities for the benefit of local residents.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.