Clubhouse Renovation with Northampton Saints

The Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club held a competition in which local grassroots clubs could apply in the hope of winning a revamp of their club’s facilities by VIY.
 

The club lucky enough to win was Long Buckby RFC. VIY headed the refurbishment work and was aided by Northampton Saints player, James Grayson, former Saints player Tom Wood, as well as support from Travis Perkins, our sister company Toolstation, and Sport England.

VIY and volunteers began work in early November 2022 - painting and decorating the changing rooms to make the place a welcoming venue for the players.   

The young volunteers who took part gained a whopping 19 Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations in Painting & Decorating and carpentry - a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team.

Connor Fleming, Head of Northampton Saints Community said: “The clubhouse Renovation Competition is an excellent example of our partnership in action, helping to support our local clubs and communities as well as supporting activity across the grassroots level. Projects like this help make rugby more accessible for everyone, using the power of sport to positively impact a wide range of groups and individuals.

Tom Wood added: “It’s great to be able to do some practical activities with the young people out of the classroom, and particularly in the surroundings of a local rugby club.

“I have been lucky in that rugby has given me a great deal, so getting involved in projects like this one gives me the opportunity to give something back, not just to the students, but also the wider community.”

Ed Sellwood, COO and co-founder of VIY, said: “We’ve completed over 700 community projects since 2011, many of which have been improving grassroots sports clubs and facilities for the benefit of the local community and all helping boost the work-readiness of the young people who volunteer with us. Collaborating with cross-sector partners, from sports to construction like the Saints and Toolstation, help us all do more to build better communities and help improve more young lives together.”