WELSHPOOL Rugby Club has been boosted with substantial grant aid which will see the club develop a new pitch.
The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust and Welsh Rugby Union joint grant initiative has allocated over £50,000 to Powys clubs.
£20k will go to Welshpool who will use the cash to develop a site adjacent to their current home.
Builth Wells will also receive a grant to upgrade floodlights at the Groe while Gwernyfed’s grant share will be spent on improving changing facilities with all three clubs receiving the good news this week.
This week representatives from the clubs met Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust trustee Gerallt Hughes and former trust chairman Tom Jones OBE on the site on Welshpool’s new ground
Mr Jones said, "I am delighted to be invited back as retired chair of the Trust but also as a former player of Welshpool RFC, to see these clubs receive their awards.
“The key to the longevity and sustainability of rugby clubs is investment at grassroots level to encourage community participation which is the sole purpose of this unique grant scheme.
“I am very proud to have been a part of the process that released this special one off grant to rugby clubs.”
Welshpool RFC chairman Nick Larder said: “The improvements we will be making as result of the funding are a huge development for Welshpool rugby.
“It is only by creating facilities for the juniors that we can foster rugby in this area. None of this work would be possible without the Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust, so we are extremely grateful for their support.”
WRU chief executive Roger Lewis added: “Grass roots rugby clubs are the heart and soul of the game in Wales.
“Rugby clubs are often at the centre of our communities providing sporting, social and healthy living benefits. They are the glue which holds so many of our towns and villages together.”