London Welsh Rugby Club has had a very successful journey thus far on the comeback trail of project reset and our five year plan. Prudent management has meant that we are well prepared to ride out the current Covid crisis (one which has devastated sport participation) and we will emerge even stronger on the field than before.

This time without the game we love has given us pause for thought and time to focus on matters away from the field. For a long time a limiting factor in our ability to grow the game away from the traditional mens game has been our facilities. Women, youth, mini and disabled members have all been hampered by our inadequate changing facilities, toilets and access.

For all of these members to get the best out of this wonderful club we need to make some changes. And that begins with renovating and refurbishing the grandstand. The grandstand has served its purpose, when the game solely focused on the mens first XV it did what was required and has served us well. But now we wish to expand, become more inclusive and be able to support and welcome all.

Therefore the proposals are to build:

New home and away changing/showers

A centreline access tunnel

Ladies, gents & (crucially) disabled toilets

Disabled viewing platform with lift

Officials changing/showers

Bar with disabled access.

These changes will remove many of the major issues at Old Deer Park that currently revolve around our facilities. Getting a pint and finding a toilet without a long walk through the mud back to the club house is an important development but with growing female and junior sections, our safeguarding obligations and duty to enhance the experience of all parts of the club, make this development essential.

The Pavilion and club house has four small changing rooms, and these are not discrete. We have five distinct groups that cannot overlap or share changing facilities: men, women, youth, disabled and mixed ability teams and our girls.

Creating a second set of modern changing facilities would allow matches to run concurrently, at present we cant run two distinct groups on the same day.

A viewing platform with lift would allow those with mobility issues a position to view the match and access the bar and disabled toilets.

Our club, like many, was designed in an era where the 1st XV mens team was the only consideration in planning. Whilst as a club we have striven for a diverse playing base - with some great success considering our limitations - we have now reached a point where growth outside of mens rugby is being significantly constrained, thwarting our efforts to spread the game and its benefits to others.

This will be no small undertaking and is beyond our current financial ability. We therefore need the help of all of you that support this great club, and those who just wish to help a fellow member of the rugby or sporting community achieve our ambitions.

With that in mind we have established a JustGiving page so that our wider London Welsh Family can be part of helping the club fund such a vital project.

The page can be accessed here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/grandstand

This is a truly unique opportunity to be involved in making a lasting difference to our great club. The planning for the new developments in the grandstand will enhance the experience for so many of our members new and old.

We would love your support and we very much look forward to updating you regularly as the project takes shape. If any of our wider family would like to hear more then please dont hesitate to contact us and we will answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you once again to all of our members, supporters and friends for the continued support of our journey together.

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#joinourjourney