Hull FC and KR in NHS health drive
HULL'S two professional rugby clubs are teaming up with the NHS to improve standards of health across the city.
The Mail can reveal Hull KR and Hull FC are set to share £1m from NHS Hull, the city's primary care trust (PCT), for health and lifestyle facilities, which will include services such as smoking cessation and weight management support.
-
Hull FC and Hull KR are teaming up with the NHS to offer health and lifestyle centres at the Boulevard and Craven Park, pictured
Trainers will be on hand to give advice about how to live a healthier lifestyle and NHS health checks will be available.
Under the plans, £700,000 will be invested in creating a new centre at Hull FC's old ground, the Boulevard, west Hull, which is expected to benefit more than 9,000 people every year.
The move would also see the club use the Boulevard for training, relocating from Brantingham Park in Elloughton.
It will continue to use the KC Stadium for home matches.
Along with the plans for the Boulevard, £300,000 will also be ploughed into setting up similar facilities at Hull KR's Craven Park ground in east Hull as part of an expansion of the East Stand.
It is expected to benefit almost 4,000 people each year.
NHS Hull said no firm decision on the proposals has been made and the plans will be subject to board approval at a meeting on Thursday.
However, papers for the meeting recommend the board supports the move.
As previously reported in the Mail, the board of NHS Hull approved £1m to develop a health and lifestyle centre with Hull FC, which would also see the relocation of the club's training ground.
The plans were initially earmarked for a site owned by the University of Hull in Inglemire Lane, north Hull.
Hull FC said the club would contribute £1.9m and the university said it would donate the land, worth about £1m.
However, the university called off negotiations with the club and NHS Hull.
Despite this, NHS Hull and Hull FC said they were still committed to delivering the facility and the club entered into advanced talks over a return to the Boulevard to use it as a training ground.
Now, the new plans for the Boulevard and Craven Park have been drawn up by NHS Hull working in partnership with the clubs.
It is understood the Boulevard centre will cost less than originally expected, enabling the trust to also invest in Craven Park.
The facilities at the Boulevard are expected to be open by September 1, 2010. The extension of the East Stand at Craven Park will be subject to planning permission and has been "factored into Hull KR's plans for the wider redevelopment of the ground".
7 Comments
by Skinny Steve, Hull
Monday, November 23 2009, 3:58PM
“Its a good place to start as rugby fans do tend to be pretty fat”
by Ian, Aberdeen
Monday, November 23 2009, 12:24PM
“How good is the HDM, FC, KR & NHS joining forces and they put a picture of........Huddersfield playing HKR. Surely a picture of KR playing FC would have been more fitting !!!!”
by mark hakeney, hull
Saturday, November 21 2009, 8:52PM
“rovers were offered use of the kc in the begining but declined the offer.i dont know if theyre current board would have made the same decision,but running costs shared between 3 professional clubs certainly makes financial sense.
personally, although a rl fan, i would question why the cash strapped nhs( which constantly bemoans the lack of funds such a worthy organisation deserves)is spending £££s on these developments.given the sky tv money,gate receipts, merchandising and sponsorship, i feel both our pro rl clubs should be more self sufficient.
do we really want our taxes helping out pro clubs nationwide(if its happening here it will elsewhere).
its a pity all pro clubs in all sports arent building facilities for the health service,not the other way round.”
by Neil, West Hull
Saturday, November 21 2009, 5:44PM
“Fantastic Idea for the Hull rugby League clubs, but I think it should be equally split down the middle, as Hull KR's ground needs a major facelift for the community, were as Hull FC have already got a great stadium and the training ground should not cost as much as £700.000.
Lets hope this brings both clubs a great season and maybe honours for both our clubs..”
by Mark, Hull
Saturday, November 21 2009, 5:37PM
“If they are only going to be treating 9,000 at the Boulevard they won't even get through FC's obese fans.”
by Charles, cott
Saturday, November 21 2009, 4:37PM
“So, as well as buying yachts, your NHS is now sponsoring professional sports clubs. It may not be a privatised health service but it's beginning to act more and more like one.”
by Cynical., North Hull.
Saturday, November 21 2009, 10:27AM
“From the statistics in this article, I assume that there are double the number of people living in west Hull who "need advise on how to lead a healthier lifestyle" as compared to east Hull.
Glad I live in north Hull!!”