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.

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".