Junior athletics club clear funding hurdle
25 March 2024

Pontyclun Athletics Club is the latest recipient of our Community Champions scheme.
Persimmon Homes East Wales, the region behind The Parish development at Capel Llanilltern, presented the club with its cheque for £1,000 at Pant Comprehensive school where its members train, which will go towards funding new facilities for the club at the school.
The club caters for those aged 8-17 years old of mixed abilities as they instill in them several athletic disciplines including long jump, shotput, high jump, javelin, cross country, track and field, and beyond.
It was formed little over 20 years ago by Colin Daley, coach to several Welsh international athletes including Richie Gardiner, Sean Price, and Ali Cole, and is now run by Rowland Williams and Geraint Evans, who have both been involved in athletics for over four decades.
It competes in the Junior League South, Youth Development League track and field, and the Gwent League cross country, all in addition to Welsh and regional championships in both track and field, and cross country.
The club has around 40 members, with a target to increase this by 50% in the next two years.
The development has three and four-bed homes available from £264,995 at Capel Llanilltern on the outskirts of Cardiff, less than five miles from Pontyclun. The multi-phase site will see 1,500 high-quality homes built during construction with a new primary school, shops, offices, sport pitches and a transport park-and-ride facility delivered alongside them.
The funding came from the business’ Community Champions scheme which sees the East Wales region donate £24,000 each year to good causes and commendable organisations in the areas in which it develops. Recent recipients in the area include Llantwit Fardre RFC Minis and Juniors and Radyr Comprehensive School’s rugby team.
Commenting, Persimmon Homes East Wales’ Sales Director Victoria Williams, said:
“We are very pleased to support a local club like Pontyclun Athletics Club that caters towards young people in the area.
“Through our Community Champions scheme, Persimmon is a regular and proud supporter of youth sports team as they provide numerous benefits for children and, for all we know, will provide their route to sporting glory.
“Not far away from the village is The Parish, our development at Capel Llanilltern, which will eventually be home for 1,500 families and many thereafter, so supporting a club like this one means kids at The Parish will have a nearby club they can join.”
Rowland Willams – Coach and Chair of Pontyclun Athletics Club – added:
“We’re very grateful to Persimmon for supporting the our club’s young players with this grant. The funds will go towards much needed revamps and improvements which Pant School have kindly agreed to facilitate, and whose pupils will also benefit.
“The pandemic proved a difficult time not just for our club, but for youth athletics as a whole, so whilst we have the challenge of recovering from that, we are proud of the work and effort going into revitalising our offer to young people in and around Pontyclun, with ambitious aims when it comes to members, facilities, fundraising, and results on the field.”