Rotherham United Community Sports Trust (RUCST) officially launched their first community hub facility ‘Parkgate Astro’ on Wednesday the 19th May. Parkgate Astro consists of 3 state of the art (5-a-side) 3G FA certified pitches, a club house which hosts a cafe and diner, and a multi-purpose classroom.
Parkgate Astro is the first establishment owned by RUCST and marks a crucial step in the progression of the Trust.
The venue, located in the northern region of Rotherham enables the delivery of bespoke provision tailored specifically to the needs of the communities. To date, these include but not limited to; Holiday Hunger Camps, Refugee Football, Man v Fat, disability Football, Inclusion Football, Fitness Boot Camps plus many more.
This launch celebrated all that have supported RUCST on this journey, challenges which have not come without their difficulties.
RUCST would like to place a special thank you on the record to the Football Foundation, Rotherham United Football Club and Rotherham Council, all of whom have played an integral role in enabling the facility to be a success.
The Mayor of Rotherham, Jenny Andrews and Chairman of Rotherham United, Tony Stewart, unveiled a plaque on the launch day to commemorate the occasion, along with the hard work that RUCST has put into their community programmes throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was followed by a socially distanced tour of the facility, showcasing the state of the art facility in its full glory, which you can take a look around yourself in our gallery above.
Jamie Noble, Head of Community said:
“We are delighted to officially launch the facility after an intermittent 14 months.
"It is no secret that we have operated from the facility over this period as it has played a pivotal role in supporting the local community with much needed activities for both physical and mental wellbeing which have become ever more present as a result of the pandemic.
“We hope that this facility will be the first of many hubs located across the borough, bringing a safe and secure environment for residents to access a wide range of provision.
“I would like to place our thanks on record to all the local partners, groups and teams that have supported RUCST with this venture – we hope to bolster the relationships further and continue the successful work we all do for the community”.
If you would like to find out more information about Rotherham United Community Sports Trust, or Parkgate Astro please contact 01709827767 or community@rotherhamunited.net.