WINNINGTON PARK COLUMN - By Nick Cornwell

WINNINGTON Park’s committee, appointed in the summer of 2017, made a number of clear commitments to the membership.

These were to:

* Increase income and manage finances prudently and transparently

* Invest in updating and improving facilities and grounds

Northwich Guardian:

Winnington Park Ladies against Oldham

* Support all our teams to reach their potential by improving facilities, investing and growing our coaching teams and to grow and develop our mini and junior section

* Support and promote all forms of rugby including touch rugby and walking rugby

Significant progress has been made with the recognition that more needs to be done.

Winnington Park is an amateur club and relies on an army of volunteers to run and manage the club, grounds and facilities, to organise events and match days, and to coach, manage and organise all our teams.

Our finances are from membership fees paid by all members of the club, profit from social functions and activities, hiring of the club facilities and sponsorship from local businesses.

Park also receive income from partner organisations who use our facilities, such as Winnington Park Hockey Club, Vale Royal Cycling Club, brownie and guide groups.

Finance from these sources has allowed significant investment and improvements in recent years such as:

* Improving drainage to playing pitches

* Installation of floodlights on two pitches and a training area

* Building of an external viewing balcony on the clubhouse

* Replacement of clubhouse windows and doors

* Replacement clubhouse roof n Upgrading of ladies restroom facilities

* Refurbishment and improvement of club bars and lounges

* Upgrade of CCTV security and Audio visual equipment

Further improvements are also planned which we hope will include:

* Further drainage improvements to pitches

* Upgrade of the men’s restroom

* Improvements to changing rooms and changing facilities

Our commitment is to provide the best facilities we possibly can and to make the club attractive to our players, coaches, parents, supporters and sponsors – now and into the future.

This along with our focus on improving coaching and developing our mini and junior teams will create a club that is sustainable and successful in the long term.

We believe that this approach is already having an impact.

We have 24 rugby teams within the club aged from under sixes through to our senior men’s team.

We have a thriving ladies and girls section, with a senior team, under 13s, 15s and 18s girls teams, along with our touch rugby and walking rugby sections.

Northwich Guardian:

Northwich Guardian:

Northwich Guardian:

Playing numbers are up across all sections of the club and sponsorship and support from local businesses is increasing annually as we invest in our club and in our next generation of players who will be the long term future of our club.

For more information visit wprfc.com