Clogher Valley RFC have been trying to achieve greater engagement with their local community as a way for the club to continue their development. A series of events organised alongside the community has seen the club become a central resource for people in the area, and has helped the club grow considerably.
Funding applications helped the club to identify areas where they could improve, and as a result Clogher Valley became aware that they needed to provide for the local community which has supplied the club with support in the form of players, and money through fundraising.
This helped the club begin the process of further community engagement through the following steps:
- Having support from the whole club instead of just a few a members being involved.
- Creation of a Community Events Planning Group to ensure the club is seen as central to the events taking place.
- Involvement of new and younger club volunteers to bring forward fresh ideas.
- Consultation and involvement of the wider community in planning and activities.
- Recruiting volunteers into the roles best suited to their skills.
- Communication to keep everyone informed, generate interest/involvement and raise the club profile, especially on Social Media channels.
- Ensuring the majority of events were for the benefit of the wider community, and not just the club.
As a result, there have been many events that CVRFC have run which have been aimed at the greater community. Staging these has raised the profile of the club, and it is now considered to be a central resource for the community. Some of these events include:
- Annual Colour/Mud Run
- Annual Family Fun Days
- The club revived the Fivemiletown Festival weekend which brought much needed trade to the town.
- Cycle run which raised £15,000 for 3 charities
- Assisted Gael Traugh in Co Monaghan with their annual festival in 2017, on the back of which they received a Peace Funding grant.
- Planning permission obtained for a Community Hub to be developed which will benefit both the club and the wider community.
- Working with ZEST, a mental health charity, for youth in the wider community.
These efforts have resulted in growth in the club in terms of players across all age groups, attraction of further sponsorship, an increase in volunteers, getting new blood into the running of the club, and facility development for the club and wider community.
The efforts also seen the club's perspective change in terms of how people see Clogher Valley RFC, a member of the community quotes “Good positive vibes around the rugby club where everyone is made welcome no matter what age, or background they are from”
Throughout this ongoing process, Clogher Valley have gained some key learnings which have been hugely helpful in achieving their vision of working in conjunction with, and for, the wider community.
The club identified that support must come from the club as a whole in order to see the ‘bigger picture’ for both Clogher Valley RFC and the wider community.
Engaging positively with people in the area also helps strengthen funding applications, and can also recruit new players, volunteers, and club members. Facilitating small events has also moved the club towards the long-term goal of creating a Community Hub.
For Clogher Valley RFC, fully implementing a community engagement plan as part of their development has been a long process, but one to which they are absolutely committed.