To help enhance the quality, suitability and sustainability of sports and activity provision within Stocksbridge, grants that total £220,000 were awarded as part of the Town Deal to local sporting clubs to enable site improvements, improve accessibility and provide year-round facilities.

Stocksbridge Rugby Club were awarded a grant of £100,000, helping to improve facilities at the club for both players and supporters.

The investment has meant that work at Stocksbridge RUFC to complete a much-needed drainage project at Bolsterstone is now finished, helping to make the pitch playable throughout the year. Works were completed by contractors Bothams Prestige for the Rugby Club.

The club has also recently added solar panels to its clubhouse following a 50% grant from Sheffield City Council.

The £220,000 grants are part of the £24.1m Town Deal investment in Stocksbridge, which includes the regeneration of Manchester Road to include a brand-new Library and Community Hub building, 519, as well as investment at Oxley Park and a new Hopper Bus.

Graham Silverwood, Project representative on the Stocksbridge Town Deal Board said: “Stocksbridge Rugby Club is hugely important to the local community and this grant has been able to make a real difference to improving facilities at the club. A big thanks to everyone involved in helping to complete these improvements and support the club.

“With further work underway to develop sports projects that will be delivered in Phase 2 of the Towns Fund, I look forward to working together with local sports clubs to make a positive impact to sporting experiences and encourage participation in the area.”

Stocksbridge Rugby Club Vice Chairman, Nigel George added: “This drainage work has made such a difference to the club as we are now able to train and play at home. We have been away until our first home fixture, a winning one, on the 26 October. We very much appreciate the help of the Towns Fund and look forward to the season ahead, when all we have to fear is ice and snow. No more fixtures where the opposition turn up and refuse to play because of the boggy state of the ground.”

Stocksbridge RUFC are looking to recruit more Senior players. For details, please contact Coach Aaron Kaye on 07305 788340 or Club Captain Andy Beale on 07854 626761.

Stocksbridge Library has begun its preparations to move to a temporary new space in December as part of the Town Investment Plan to redevelop Manchester Road, which includes a new modern library in the heart of the community.

The existing building will close on 10 December 2024 and relocate to nearby IKON Church, where it will remain until the new Stocksbridge 519 building opens in 2026.

We are working closely with Sheffield Libraries to ensure local residents can continue to access quality library services for both adults and children while work takes place. The team at Stocksbridge Library look forward to welcoming visitors to its new venue from 06 January 2025.

A key project within the £24.1 million investment in Stocksbridge town centre is a brand-new Library and Community Hub building, Stocksbridge 519. As the first phase of regeneration, it will offer residents a new library venue providing the latest in digital connectivity, as well as community space, a learning hub and managed workspace.

The new Hub is key to regenerating the high street and will create a number of significant benefits for residents, including adult education provision and community facilities, and also help new businesses to establish and grow.

Ian Sanderson, Project representative on the Stocksbridge Town Deal Board said: “The Library provides an important service to the community, which we are committing to retaining while work gets underway with Stocksbridge 519. Once complete, the new hub will be at the heart of the newly regenerated Manchester Road, underpinning the wider investment in the area and will meet the needs of the local community. I hope that in the meantime, people will continue to visit Stocksbridge Library in its temporary location while the work takes place.”

Opening times from 06 January will be as follows:

Monday: 10am to 5pm

Tuesday: 10am to 5pm

Wednesday: 10am to 5pm

Thursday: Closed

Friday: 10am to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 4pm