Redcar Rugby Club is behind the project, which will also include new changing facilities for female players.
The move comes in response to a sharp rise in female participation and growing excitement ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Redcar Rugby Club’s woman and girls (Image: Redcar Rugby Club)
Danielle Gavigan, a coach at Redcar Rugby Club, said: “There’s a lot of buzz around the club.
“Many club members are attending the opening game and other games in the surrounding areas such as York.
“We are committed and determined to grow the women and girls’ game in Redcar.
“We’ve just had some team members come back after pregnancy and, at the same time, we’ve also had women coming who have never touched a rugby ball in their lives.Founder coach ‘Jonno’ and daughter Charlotte (Image: Redcar Rugby Club)
“These new facilities will give us our own space and it shows how much we’ve grown and how seriously the whole club is taking the women’s game.
“We’re very grateful to the club and the council for this opportunity and we’re going to grab it like a rugby ball – with both hands.”
The growth of the women’s section began in 2021 when 15-year-old Charlotte became frustrated that she could no longer play mixed rugby due to age restrictions.Redcar Under 16s (Image: Redcar Rugby Club)
She approached her father, Paul, known as Jonno, who launched the girls’ section at the club.
Since then, it has expanded to four teams and more than 90 players aged 11 and above.
This year, for the first time, two girls from the club have been selected to play for Yorkshire County.
Redcar Rugby Club received £31,750 in funding for the new facilities, which helped secure an additional £10,000 in match funding from Tees Million, part of The Tees Foundation charity.
Councillor Carrie Richardson, cabinet member for climate and culture, said: “This is just one of many sports grant funding projects but it shows just how important clubs like this really are for our community.
“It’s been wonderful to see how everyone at the club has worked together to bring so many people together.
“Sport is for everyone and I’m delighted that this particular scheme will help ensure girls and women right across the borough have access to rugby in a way that they wouldn’t have had.
“Some of the coaches are visionary and ground-breaking and they can’t be thanked enough.
“I’m sure these new facilities will only help the women and girls’ teams – and the whole club – thrive even more.”
The new pitch and facilities are expected to be completed during the coming season.
Redcar Rugby Club is also actively involved in the Rugby Football Union’s efforts to grow the women’s game in the lead-up to the Women’s World Cup, which begins on August 22 with an opening ceremony in Sunderland.
The club will host a World Cup Activity Day in Redcar, and three of its coaches—Yvonne Jones, Freya Atkinson, and Danielle Gavigan—will attend the Grassroots to Global Forum in Sunderland, a week-long event focused on developing the women’s game globally.
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The project is part of a wider sports funding initiative in the borough.
So far, £320,000 has been invested in 19 local clubs, with a further £180,000 earmarked to secure match funding from national sporting bodies.
If successful, these efforts could bring the total investment to £2.15 million, funding seven new play zones across the area.