Rugby recreating lost community connection
It’s a familiar story, mines closed and the welfare centres and neighbourhood social connections went with them.
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In South Yorkshire, Dinnington Colliery shut down in 1992. 1,000 jobs were lost and local businesses closed. The Dinnington Miners’ Welfare Centre on Lodge Lane opposite the local rugby club, was flattened.
Dinnington RUFC has been working hard to replace that lost community spirit, and their local MP, local authority and Barratt Development, who are building 150 new homes nearby, are right behind them.
The club is aiming to expand, rebrand and provide rugby camaraderie and physical and mental wellbeing for people from miles around.
John Wain, a former miner and now the club’s facilities manager, says: “We want to take over from the old welfare centre and do some of the things they did. The mining community used to raise money to support the wider community and with the end of the colliery Dinnington lost so much, the local swimming pool, green spaces and some local shops which couldn’t survive.
“If we can get to a position where the mining village welfare ethos returns, it would be ideal. I think we have the basis here from the club facilities to build a new community spirit.”
Stephen Hawley, Dinnington Chairman added: “Most of the area’s sporting facilities have gone, but if we get funding, it could potentially kick start very different things for us. Part of our vision is for a sporting club with a much broader appeal. Those from the 150 new households will be very welcome, but so will the rest of Dinnington and Anston.”
The club is already expanding its reach, with the number of youngsters growing and travelling from as far as Worksop, some ten miles away. They run a schools programme, with coaching sessions in local junior schools attracting young players to the club, where they run a ‘micro’ level because younger siblings are so keen to get involved from the age of four. Many of those young players are still with them as Colts and into the two men’s teams and the occasional Vets game.
Says club secretary, Elaine Bonsall; “Players retire but then come back to coach their children. The club is professionally run but very family orientated. Our membership crosses the generations, some of whom were here from the outset, the Slaters, the Starrs, the Wests, the Venimores and the Leitchs to name a but a few, all have both their children and grandchildren now involved with the club in some capacity.
“We work with Dinnington St. John’s Town Council to provide community events like an annual fireworks night. Our local MP Alex Stafford is very supportive and local businesses help us financially. We have a sponsors’ day as well as a past players’ day to say thank you because their input over the years has made a huge difference and lets not forget all our female members who we honour annually with a ladies day.”
With a growing number of girls who will soon age out of mixed rugby, the aim is to develop a girls’ section too. The colliery may have closed but Dinnington rugby club is determined to keep that community spirit alive.
