The Floodlight Story

By Donald Hunt

On Thursday 9 March 1978, Mr Gordon Appleyard, as the then chairman of Featherstone Rovers called a meeting of supporters interested in raising money by voluntary efforts to install floodlights. The original idea was to raise a sum of money as a capital base and then get a loan from the Rugby League to complete the project.  A committee was formed with Fred Webster as secretary, Jim Reed as treasurer and myself as chairman'

Jim Reed suggested that a waste paper and cardboard collection scheme could be a good idea for raising money as it did not involve people paying out money, and meant that everyone could participate. What a winner it proved to be, the late George Turton, did a tremendous amount of work in collecting and baling the cardboard.  As the amount grew we purchased a hand press and members used to go down in the evenings to bale up the cardboard.

However, vandals got into the ground one night and set fire to the Nissen hut where we stored the waste paper. This was a terrible blow as we had a really flourishing going and growing concern, with a regular monthly income from it. ln order to keep the momentum going we purchased a large furniture removal van to use as a storage place for the cardboard etc. Within a very short time the mindless fools that plague our society today had broken in and set fire to the removal van. The disappointment we all felt at this act was too deep to describe.  It was too dangerous to continue the project so ended the waste paper and cardboard operation. In a couple of years it had made over £2,200.

Many other ideas and functions were held to raise money. Peter Smith snr. started a Souvenir Shop in the early days, which has developed into quite a business and new supplies of best quality sweaters, ties etc are available at very reasonable prices.  The profits from this venture has been very welcome indeed.  Mrs. Smith and family are to be praised for the work they have put in to help Peter.

The 20O Club, which has been run by Des Waites, has made another very worthwhile contribution to help raise funds.  Jim Reed has been Treasurer throughout and done a splendid job, but has also been a wonderful help to me. He and Des Waites have run our Annual Galas between them. 

Roy Barker joined our committee a couple of years after we had started. His local knowledge he has always used to the full to help us. ln the last couple, of months when the installation has been in progress he and Pete Smith have willingly done more than have been asked of them, and I must say it has taken a lot of pressure off me.

I know ladies should come first but I am sure Beryl Bowskill and Barbara Walker will forgive me for mentioning them later in this report. When they first joined they said they did not talk a lot but would do anything they could to help. They do talk a lot (what woman doesn't) but more importantly they have been wonderful workers and loyal to the cause.

Mr and Mrs. Hewitt, although suffering a lot of ill health lately, have always been ready to do their best for us.  Space procludes me from being able to mention the many, many helpers who have supported us but Ray Askham, lan Allison, Anne Morris, Judy Smith and  Mr. & Mrs. Pickering, have served on the committee at various times and have been a tremendous help.  Fred Webster was our first secretary and raised a lot of money himself at the outset to give the fund a firm base.

The, whole effort could not have taken place without you, the supporters of the Club, who have made donations and attended our functions.  Please accept our sincere thanks.

Last summer (1982) club chairman Bob Ashby, negotiated a deal with Hunslet and we purchased lights from Elland Road.  This took a large amount of our funds.  Bob suggested that all supporters’ branches amalgamated to make concerted effort to raise the remaining money that would be needed for installation.

With a donation of £1,500 from the Supporters club and a similar donation from a former supporters’ branch run by Albert Holgate, has helped enormously to reach our final target.  To be accurate we have not reached our target and the Floodlight Fund will remain open until the end of the year.

This article was written in October 1983 and published in the programme for the first game under floodlights at Post Office Road on Friday 7^th October against Wakefield Trinity.