Public Appeal

The club finds itself in a position where we are some £60 k short on our budget for the remainder of the season.

This is due to the loss of our main sponsor and lack of other significant sponsors over the last two years. Coupled to this have been rising costs, falling attendances and more than a 50% drop in central distribution from the R.F.L. Clearly this cannot continue.

Over the past three seasons the board have funded this shortfall (in the region of £275k) but again this cannot continue.

We are now at the stage where we have to appeal to you the fans, general public and businesses to come forward and get behind the club. We all genuinely need to help to save the club.

In the first instance individuals and businesses can simply donate a cash sum of money to the club. Several kind individuals have already provided financial donations and we can’t thank those people enough. Alongside the above we have come up with a very generous offer to individuals who would like to invest £250. For this investment you would receive;

• 1x Season ticket for the remainder of the 2018 season

• 1 x child season ticket for remainder of the 2018 season

• 1x Season ticket for the 2019 season

• 1 x child season tickets for the 2019 season

• 1 seat in the Sponsors Lounge for a game of your choice

We therefore need 240 people and or businesses to come forward. A positive response to this appeal will have a significant effect on our ongoing dialogue with a major new investor who is willing to commit to a three year plan commencing 2019. Their plans to expand the club are the most exciting we have heard in a long time.

With the above in mind we the board would like to encourage as many people as possible down to the JJ McKeown Bar this Thursday evening at 6pm. Mike Starkie and Trudy Harrison M.P have endorsed our campaign.

Trudy Harrison MP, said: “The Club is more than a rugby team and venue, they also provide a space for school’s sports days, police dog training, amateur rugby games and for summer programmes including National Citizen Service. These facilities are appreciated by so many, and I hope the community can come together to ensure support and a secure future.”

Elected Mayor Mike Starkie said “Hopefully local businesses can rally around to support WRLFC as they try to raise the £60,000 they need to see the season out, at which time it would appear there are investors lined up to take the club forward and maintain professional rugby league in Copeland.

This area is a real heartland of rugby league, with four of the country’s top amateur teams (Millom, Egremont Rangers, Wath Brow Hornets and Kells) competing in the National Conference. It would be terrible if professional rugby league was to cease to exist. What should be happening is that ambitious plans should be hatched to bring Super League competition to the town to complement our rugby league heritage.

There are many companies operating in the borough and it would be a tremendous boost if they could get involved by way of sponsorship in supporting the club, helping to make it financially sustainable with ambitions and plans to achieve its potential.

It was not too long ago Whitehaven beat Castleford to the Championship with a fantastic victory in front of a big crowd. Last year, Castleford finished top of Super League which demonstrates what can and could be achieved at Whitehaven”.

All donations are welcome.

Tom Todd

For and on behalf of the Directors Whitehaven RLFC (2010) LTD