Community Club Launch: Plus Facilities Redevelopment Plans

Rochdale Hornets have confirmed that talks are at an advanced stage to move their extensive community operations in the town to the redeveloped Balderstone Million Pavilion, as part of what they describe as a “unique blueprint” in rugby league.

The move - made following extensive and on-going discussions with Rochdale Borough Council - will see the club’s community and women’s teams relocate from their current Firgrove home for the 2024 season. They will make use of a new community space, changing rooms, kitchen, match officials rooms and two relaid grass pitches at the site.

Work on the pitches will begin in coming months, and with the library building at Balderstone Park already having been extended, will provide Hornets with a focal point for its extensive plans for development of all areas of the club in coming years.

Those plans include the reintroduction of a reserve side, junior teams for both boys and girls and the launch of Learning Disability and Physical Disability Rugby League squads. They will run alongside Hornets’ rapidly-expanding wheelchair team, which has seen its numbers quadruple at training sessions since England’s World Cup triumph in Manchester in November.

The work will be overseen by Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation’s newly appointed Community Development Officer Craig Fisher, who has now started in his post after a highly-successful spell at Salford Red Devils.

Hornets chief executive Steve Kerr explained: “Whilst discussions continue with Rochdale Borough Council around the formal arrangements, we are delighted to share our interest in the Balderstone Million Pavilion and community pitches.

“The extension to the library in Balderstone Park has been completed to a very high standard and comprises of a community room, kitchen, two changing rooms and match officials rooms, which are all suitable for community usage and are fully disability compliant.

“Work on the reinstatement of two grass pitches are aiming to start in spring 2023, providing a full size adult and a junior under-12s pitch. It is hoped that the pitches will be ready for the start of the 2024 season when our community men and women’s teams will relocate from Firgrove to their new home.

“I’m also delighted to announce the appointment of Community Development Officer Craig Fisher, who has a wealth of experience, and will support the delivery of the community club strategy as we aim to create more playing opportunities for children and young people, girls and for people with physical and learning disabilities.

“By 2024 Hornets new community hub will be a hive of activity providing new and exciting opportunities to play sport and rugby league. We believe it will be a unique blueprint in rugby league.

“I’d like to thank Rochdale Council for all their continued hard work in supporting our vision to become one of the most inclusive and diverse rugby league clubs in the country.”

Image: Balderstone Million Pavilion development plans.

Overseeing the playing side of the club’s vision will be recently-appointed Director of Development Jason Seddon, who believes the moves will help secure the long-term future of the club.

Seddon explained: “We aim to deliver pathways that will underpin the growth of participation across varying formats of rugby league throughout the borough and ensure that inclusive playing opportunities are available at all levels, from community engagement through to the professional ranks.

“This is a long term project that will require partnerships to be developed with other professional organisations, some of which are already in progress. 

"It will be aligned with the delivery of a thorough and diverse offer, including an extensive schools program that provides a connection for young people to explore additional opportunities that are available for them to become involved in sport via the Rochdale Hornets Community Foundation, Hopwood Hall College, local community clubs and the England Talent Pathway, of which the club are an accredited partner.

“We have a clear strategy in place in respect of player development and recruitment, it is an approach that we understand the value of and one with which we can build a strong foundation on the field for the club. 

"Importantly, increasing our engagement with the local community is at the heart of what we are looking to achieve - by doing this we can also provide opportunities for people to get involved, develop themselves on or off the field, and become part of a sustainable future for the club.”