Club celebrates grants worth over £20k

Kirkby Stephen Sports and Social Club has been at the heart of the Kirkby Stephen community for over 60 years and recent successful grant applications should mean it can thrive for another 60 years to come.

Volunteers from the committee and local supporters have made successful applications to the National Lottery Community Fund and to The Hadfield Trust. These have resulted in grant funding of almost £22,000 to The Club.

Players of the National Lottery are supporting a major renovation through a grant of £19,760 from the National Lottery Community Fund. This will be used for external building works at The Club, and internal refurbishment for some of their community spaces that cannot be used in their current state.

“The Club is as busy as ever, with weekly activities and regular events for the community but for a sustainable future, those local community groups need to be able to use as much of the building as possible,” says Interim Chairman, Conrad Lynch “We’d also like to thank our small group of committee volunteers who are managing this refurbishment project for The Club.”

The second grant is from The Hadfield Trust. Its £2000 grant will enable The Club to start to upgrade the kitchen that is available for use by those using the function room and other meetings rooms and spaces.

“This is all about making sure community groups and others using the hall and meeting rooms can prepare and serve refreshments, hot drinks and other food in a clean, modern space,” says Angela Dobson, the Bar Manager at The Club. “In future, it could enable community groups to host a luncheon club or community cookery classes or fundraising events like a Pies and Peas supper. With additional help from our customers and volunteers, this grant will make all the difference to getting it done.”

“We are incredibly grateful to both funders for their investments into The Club,” says Conrad. “These grants enable us to start our repair programme and we hope they will act as a catalyst for obtaining additional funding to complete the refurbishment works as soon as possible.”

If anyone reading this would be interested in getting involved at The Club in any way at all, please contact Angela and the team at The Club on 017683 72332 or via kirkbyclub@outlook.co.uk.