News

A building at the centre of the community in which Welsh Slate’s main quarry is located has received a major boost from the leading manufacturer of natural slate products.

Welsh Slate, whose Penrhyn Quarry is in the North Wales village of Bethesda, is sponsoring the impressive new clubhouse at Bethesda Rugby Club for the next two years.

The clubhouse and five hectares of fields are owned and managed by Clwb Rygbi Bethesda which runs it as a community facility. More than 20 community groups and 2,000 people make use of this, not to mention five small businesses which work from the new facility.

Formed in the 1970s, Bethesda RFC currently has two senior sides, with the first XV competing in Division 1 North of the Welsh National Leagues, Welsh Plate and North Wales Cup competitions. The club also boasts a very active and successful junior sector, with sides all the way up from Under 6s to Under 18s.

The clubhouse can cater for up to 300 people, with a large, modern kitchen which has helped to make it a popular venue for weddings, parties, funerals and other social gatherings. Full IT facilities including five large TV screens suitable for business events and training.

As well as rugby, the club is also used for football, archery and cyclo cross, and there are plans for a track and field group. It is also used by the village secondary school and two primary schools for sports, festivals and focus groups, and by the Scouts, Beavers and Cubs, Young Farmers and Army Cadets.

Director of Rugby at the club, Will Sandison said: “We are very grateful to Welsh Slate for their generous support, without which we would struggle to provide such comprehensive facilities for a wide range of users.”