Cefn Coed Rugby Club (CCRC) in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, has received £200,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government in order to upgrade facilities, following a recent increase in membership.

The funding has been made available through the Heads of the Valleys Programme and has been put towards the refurbishment of the club's changing facilities, improvements to the rugby pitch and the installation of new floodlights. Steve France, CCRC's secretary and acting chair, said: "The existing changing facilities have been in place since the early 70's and the number of players using the changing facilities has increased tremendously.

"The new changing rooms are great and we now have disabled access and separate changing rooms for men and women, which we hope will increase our female membership." Welsh deputy minister for regeneration, Leighton Andrews, added: "Rugby clubs are often at the heart of communities across Wales and a centre for a wide range of activities by local people so it's great to see funding go into improving facilities to increase their appeal and accessibility."