Old Emanuel Rugby Club Secures Pavilion Makeover Boost

​A South London rugby club with more than a century of history has won £1,000 worth of building materials from us to help renovate an old pavilion to boost sporting opportunities in the local area.

Old Emanuel Rugby Football Club, in Raynes Park, has been named as the monthly winner in our Community Heroes competition in the South London and South Coast region.

The club’s application caught the judge’s attention from hundreds of entries, securing £1,000 to spend on building materials and supplies.

Founded in 1909, Old Emanuel Rugby Football Club is in the process of renovating an old-fashioned sports pavilion, which would benefit the club’s members and the wider community.

Club Chair Justin Latta said: “We're thrilled to receive this fantastic prize from Selco. We are keen to make our facilities as good as they can be and a lot of work is going on behind the scenes. These building materials will make a huge difference and will also allow us to use our cash reserves elsewhere.

“We are a busy and successful club with a full rugby programme from juniors to seniors. We also act as a local hub for two other sides, as well as a midweek university team.

“Furthermore, we host outreach for a local secondary school to help them reintroduce rugby to pupils and the building acts as a community hub for karate, gymnastics and other pastimes.”

This is the fifth year we have run the Community Heroes competition, helping dozens of good causes to revamp their facilities.

This year the campaign is bigger and better than ever before, with 40 monthly prizes of £1,000 to spend in store, followed by £10,000 in cash for an overall winner, £5,000 for second place and £2,500 for third.

Any group that supports the local community is invited to enter online.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Our revamped Community Heroes campaign has caused a huge buzz and we have enjoyed reviewing hundreds of worthy entries already.

“A massive congratulations to Old Emanuel Rugby Football Club, a club steeped in history and with a clear vision for the future. We’re excited to welcome representatives to Selco Wimbledon on Weir Road to help them make the most of their winnings.

“We look forward to supporting many more winners in the months to come.”