GHA Rugby Club Launches Campaign to Expand All-weather Facilities
GHA Rugby Club
Launches campaign to expand all-weather facilities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13 AUGUST 2026
Premiership Rugby Club launches £500,000 campaign to expand all-weather facilities
GHA Rugby Club and The GHA Charity (Scottish Charity Number SC046458) have launched a two-year campaign to raise £500,000 to improve the club’s all-weather 3G pitch facilities at Braidholm.
The 3G500 campaign will pay for the refurbishment of the club’s existing all-weather 3G pitch and the conversion of its third grass pitch into a second all-weather 3G pitch. The project will increase the amount of rugby and other sports that can take place, helping meet growing demand from club members and the wider community. The second all-weather 3G pitch would mean more training and matches can go ahead during the winter months, while reducing pressure on the grass pitches and reducing the repair work and pitch closures that come with heavy usage during wetter weather.
This fundraising campaign comes as GHA continues to grow, with membership increasing year on year. Increasing numbers of children, young people and adults are taking part across the club, and continued investment in girls and women’s rugby and schools outreach work also adding to the demand for reliable training and playing space at Braidholm.
Each week, 600 GHA players, from Primary one through to the senior teams, are on the pitches at Braidholm, with many training or playing three times a week. Alongside them are coaches, volunteers, parents, supporters, visiting teams and their fans, as well as 11,000 local people who attend events such as the Giffnock Beer Festival and GHA’s fireworks display.
Braidholm is also used by a range of other sporting organisations, including Glasgow City FC, East Kilbride Pirates, The OLM Football Team, First Touch Football, Glasgow Gaels Gaelic Football Club, Giffnock North Athletic Club, Stamperland Football Club and the University of Strathclyde. The ground has also welcomed professional teams including the Vodacom Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, DHL Stormers and Emirates Lions when they have been playing against Glasgow Warriors. That level of use puts huge pressure on the pitches.
Campaign Director for 3G500 and Past President of GHA Rugby Club, Gordon Adams, said,
“Every generation of GHA members has inherited something special. The facilities we have today are here because people before us gave their time, energy and support to the club.
“We’re now asking this generation to do the same. This project is about making sure Braidholm continues to provide opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy sport for years to come.”
GHA Managing Director Adam Gordon added,
“We’ve reached the point where we simply need more all-weather space. Our existing all-weather 3G pitch is in constant use and, when the weather is particularly bad, training and matches on the grass pitches have to be cancelled.
“Refurbishing the existing all-weather 3G pitch and creating a second 3G pitch would give GHA a more reliable space for our own training and rugby matches whilst ensuring that the other clubs and organisations can use Braidholm throughout the year too. We know that being able to get out and play sport is important for everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing, and we don’t want poor weather to be a barrier to that. It will make a huge difference to all those that use Braidholm for sport.”
GHA is asking everyone connected with the club to get behind the fundraising, from players past and present to parents of the children on the pitches. The club also hopes that local business, families and the wider community will get involved to help reach their target.
There are already a number of fundraising events in the pipeline, with more ideas being worked on, and anyone with an idea for a fundraiser, big or small, is encouraged to get in touch.
The campaign is also looking for volunteers to help organise events, approach sponsors, support marketing and communications, and assist with administration. Anyone interested in supporting the campaign, volunteering or sponsoring 3G500 can find out more and register their interest through the 3G500 webpage.
