Rainey 100: Building for the Future, Backing Our Community
Rainey RFC is proud to announce the launch of Rainey 100 – a bold, community-focused fundraising initiative set to culminate in our centenary year, 2028. As we approach 100 years of rugby in Magherafelt, we’re planning for the next 100, with an upgraded clubhouse, improved facilities, and a powerful legacy of support for mental health in Mid Ulster.
Our target is to raise £500,000 by 2028! With this funding, we can assign £400,000 towards our clubhouse redevelopment and £100,000 for three exceptional local mental health charities: ALPS, S.T.E.P.S., and The Hub, Cookstown.
Why Rainey 100?
Rainey is more than a rugby club, we’re a thriving, cross-community organisation with over 600 members. But our facilities haven’t kept pace with our growth.
Rainey RFC has grown significantly in recent years, becoming the largest cross-community rugby club in Ireland, with over 600 members. We’re proud to welcome players of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, but our clubhouse is no longer fit for purpose.
With expanding minis, youth, and women’s teams, we urgently need to redevelop our clubhouse to meet the needs of our current and future members. Key elements include:
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4 brand new changing rooms for players of all genders and age groups
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3 upgraded changing facilities for match officials
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An expanded upstairs function room, offering a better space for social events, meetings, and community use
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A full-width viewing gallery, giving spectators the best seat in the house to watch games on all pitches
Construction begins on 5th May 2025, led by our appointed developers, Canavan Construction, and we aim to complete the project in time for our 100th anniversary celebrations in 2028.
Here’s how our new clubhouse will look:
Giving Back – £100,000 for Local Mental Health Support
At the heart of this initiative is a commitment to our wider community. Mental health challenges are growing in Northern Ireland – particularly among young people and men. The statistics are sobering:
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Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15–24.
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1 in 5 people in Northern Ireland will experience a mental health problem.
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Suicide rates here are 25% higher than the UK average.
We want to change that. That’s why £100,000 of the Rainey 100 target will be donated directly to ALPS, S.T.E.P.S., and The Hub – three vital, volunteer-driven organisations working locally to provide free counselling, support, and preventative education.
Your fundraising efforts won’t just help build new walls… it will save lives!
How You Can Help
We’re asking for 200 members, supporters, or friends of the club to step up and become Rainey 100 Fundraisers.
Each fundraiser will aim to raise £2,000 over the next 12 months – through individual challenges, events, sponsorship, or any creative ideas.
We have made this as easily achievable as possible. We have set up an individual fundraiser page for each fundraiser (LINK – https://fundraising.raineyrfc.com/), where donations can be made, the progress tracked and each donation logged on the Donation Wall.
How many Whatsapp or Facebook contacts have you? Could you get 100 of them to donate £20, or 40 of them to donate £50, within a 12 month period? Achieve either of these and you’ve met your target!
If we manage to recruit 200 fundraisers and they raise £2,000, that equates to £400,000. Given our CASC status, we are eligible for 25% Gift Aid, bringing our grand total up to our target of £500,000.
Whether you’re a current player, a past member, a parent, a coach, or someone who simply believes in what we do, this is your chance to be part of something truly special. We’ll support you every step of the way with fundraising ideas, resources, and promotional support.
Want to Learn More?
To help everyone learn more about the Rainey 100 project and how to get involved, we’re hosting five informal information evenings from Monday 5th May to Friday 9th May, from 7:00–8:30pm in the Clubhouse.
These drop-in sessions are a relaxed opportunity to chat with club representatives and charity partners, ask questions, and find out how you can get involved. Tea, coffee, and refreshments will be provided.
