MACKIE RFC is preparing to give the rugby club a makeover with help from a team of local volunteers and two former Scotland internationals.
They plan to renovate their club facilities as part of RBS RugbyLink Weekend on June 13 and 14.
The club is hoping to attract volunteers from local area to come down on Sunday support them.
Former Scotland internationals Andy Nicol and David Sole have already pledged their support and will be attending on the day to help out.
RBS RugbyLink
Weekend is designed to help local rugby clubs help themselves get prepared for the 2009/10 season. The programme provides advice and resources to help the clubs organise a team of volunteers for a fun day that will achieve an important goal – be they little or large – that will improve the club facilities
This is the first year of the RBS RugbyLink Weekend project and is part of RBS's long term commitment to the development of the sport. Clubs will be provided with tools and resources to help them plan and deliver their own activities. Each club will receive a written guide plus vouchers for building materials and refreshments for the day.
Former Scotland international, Andy Nicol, said: "We're hoping to have a big crowd from the Stonehaven and wider Aberdeenshire area so we can help get Mackie Academy ready for next season. Good facilities and a fun environment can be the difference between players sticking with rugby or not, RBS RugbyLink will help improve the club and make it a real focus for the community. Hopefully this weekend will really help the club prepare for next season and also introduce new members."
Mackie's RBS RugbyLink Coordinator, Andy Buchanan, said:
"This prize has been a tremendous boost for Mackie Rugby Club, as it would be for any Club that relies largely on fundraising and sponsorship to maintain its longevity. It is particularly pleasing that we are the first Scottish Club to win the award under the RBS RugbyLink initiative and it has already given everyone connected with the Club a real lift.
"Mackie has a strong and expanding youth section which is the lifeblood of the Club and this prize money has proved to be the catalyst which will bring about a number of positive changes to benefit players at all levels going forward.
"We are looking forward to Sunday and welcome all volunteers to our Redcloak pitches armed with paintbrushes, rakes and shovels! The atmosphere should be a good one, with Music and a Barbecue in full flow and with David Sole and Andy Nicol coming along to pitch in, I'm sure it will be a day that the Club will remember for a long time".
