Biggar Rugby’s 40th birthday brings £400k cash boost

Thanks to a variety of different funders, the club has managed to secure almost £400,000 to transform its training and playing facilities.

Biggar’s Hartreemill base will now boast four full size pitches, two mini pitches and eight floodlit training zones, meaning a 75 per cent increase in the training and playing areas, which will all be fully drained.

The club received £38,043 from Scottish Rugby’s Club Sustainability Fund, £110,000 from sportscotland and £250,000 from the Clyde Valley Windfarm Fund.

Outgoing Biggar president Peter McDonald said: “The funding has come following painstaking work by the committee to present the best value for money solution to develop the playing and training facilities at the club.

“All of the funders have come up trumps as they have recognised the ambition of the club in providing much-needed facilities for the use of the whole community.

“We wish to publicly record our very grateful thanks to all those within the SRU, sportscotland, the Clyde Valley Windfarm and South Lanarkshire Council, which administers the Windfarm fund, for their foresight in making these vital funding awards.

“The club’s progress has been constant in the past 40 years and this latest venture will be a sporting legacy for those who follow in the next 40 years.”

In addition to the investment secured, the club must also contribute £40,000 towards the project from their own coffers.

However, with £22,000 already raised by fundraising throughout this season, the committee and membership still have a number of events planned for the summer to ensure the target is hit.