Witney Rugby Club has been awarded a £50,000 grant from West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) which will allow them to build a clubhouse extension.

The council allocated £134,472 of grant funding to a number of local projects and organisations providing sports and outdoor activities that benefit the local community.

The grant has helped the club reach its target of raising £250,000.

Club chairman Bob Fisk said: “The need for the extension was identified by us as our membership is increasing and the tradition of providing after match meals for the home and away sides after the matches meant we basically had nowhere to sit.

“The club also identified that the Witney Wolves, a SEN team, would benefit from an indoor space if the weather was too bad they could still meet up and have indoor fitness fun sessions.”

The project will be funded through an RFU Loan of £100,000 the WODC grant, two Witney-based trusts and the club's own funds.

Planning permission has been approved, drawings are being produced for quotation at the beginning of January and work is expected to start at the end of April.

Witney Rugby Club hosts local events The Witney Colour Run, Wychwood Forest Festival, as well as allowing the Windrush Medical Centre to use the space for Covid vaccinations.

Mr Fisk said: “Clearly the additional space will also open the opportunity to other events. Witney is an expanding town with many new houses being built and WODC and WRFC realised the need to provide facilities for sport.

“WRFC is a not for profit organisation with all monies raised going back into the sole purpose of the club, which is offering the facilities, training and enjoyment of rugby in West Oxfordshire.”

The club currently has three senior men’s sides, a veterans side, a ladies team, teams in each age group from under four to under 18 and the Witney Wolves team.