On Saturday 12th October, Buckingham Rugby Club celebrated the opening of a new set of changing rooms in a project that was supported by the RFU Impact ’25, the legacy programme associated with the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Impact ‘25, which is delivered by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in partnership with the UK Government and Sport England, is designed to supercharge the growth of women’s rugby by providing improvements to facilities and by creating more opportunities for females than ever before through its volunteer, coaching, match official, playing and internship programmes.

Impact ‘25 is a key element of the Rugby World Cup, which will take place at eight venues across England in 2025, providing opportunities for people around the country to attend, while promoting rugby and enhancing participation in the sport nationwide.

Thanks to Impact ‘25, Buckingham received a substantial grant which was used to install an independent set of changing rooms allowing for women’s and men’s matches to take place simultaneously for the first time ever.

Buckingham run a highly successful rugby club, with both men and women’s teams and boys and girls youth age groups from 5 to 18. Over recent years women’s rugby has grown in popularity, particularly so at Buckingham where they field two adult sides with the 1st XV playing at Championship level, just one below the Premiership, and a successful girls U18's side.

The club also owe a good measure of thanks to all the team at Oxman Carpentry Limited, who built and delivered the project on time, to specification, and with great care. For the Club, Project Manager, Mark Blackwell, said "Oxman produced a set changing rooms to a quality that will last the club a very long time". During the 12 week build programme we had an independent surveyor check their work at every stage and at no point did he raise a concern on cost or quality".

To celebrate the club’s development, a special event was held on Saturday 12th October, which saw Neale Baker [pictured far left], Bucks RFU County Chairman, officially open the new facilities and hand them over to Club President, Alan Leach. [second from left]. Next to Alan is Tom Oxley and Brad Vyse, respectively, from Oxman and on the far right is Simon Winman Bucks RFU and Dave Larham, RFU Regional Development Officer.

Rugby World Cup 2025 will provide women’s rugby the platform to grow across all areas of the game. Impact ‘25 will drive growth thanks to a number of initiatives including the improvement of facilities at community rugby clubs such as Buckingham. The facilities grants are designed to break down barriers to participation and make the sport more accessible for women and girls across the country.

“We firmly believe hosting this tournament across England would be transformational for the women’s and girls’ game, bringing thousands of players, volunteers and spectators to our sport. Impact ‘25 is an important part of ongoing our commitment to growing the women and girl’s game. We are totally dedicated to creating more opportunities to play rugby and we believe that the tournament and its Impact Programme will really take the game in this country to the next level,” said Alex Teasdale, RFU Women’s Game Director.

Buckingham’s new and improved facilities will create a lasting legacy for rugby union in the local community. The grant will increase playing opportunities as well as encourage more players, volunteers or spectators to visit the club,” said RFU Area Facilities Manager Jason Bowers.

Club Chairman, Alan Leach, said: “We are delighted to receive this grant from the RFU’s Impact ‘25 Programme. The funding and improved facilities will support our financial sustainability for many years to come. We now have some of the best facilities in the area and will be even better equipped to welcome people to our club.”

Buckingham is one of many clubs across England benefitting from investment through the Rugby World Cup 2025 Impact Programme.

Alan went onto to thank Jay Bowers and Matt Bray from the RFU Facilities Development team and Mark Blackwell, Julian Cook, Seth Williams and Murray Bateman who represent the clubs Capital Projects Team and put the whole project together.