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The club in Craigavon, on the outskirts of Lurgan, was set up by workers in the 1970s as part of the old Goodyear factory and was officially opened in 1982. - - Sadly the factory closed and while the sports and social club was still able to provide facilities to the local community, it sadly closed for good in June last year. Now, from the sale of the club, the new Goodyear Community Fund has been set up and aims to continue the ‘positive legacy’ of the original sports and social club. The fund is expected to launch in the new year and aims to ‘recognise and celebrate the contribution of voluntary groups and people locally’. It’s been set up as a ‘grant-making initiative’ to support grassroots organisations within the greater Lurgan and Craigavon area. Trustee Stephen Moore explained: “The Goodyear Sports & Social Club was set up as part of the old Goodyear factory in Craigavon in 1977 by the factory workers. "The club building was opened in 1982 and although the factory closed not long after, the Sports & Social Club was able to provide sports and social facilities to the local community until the wind down of its activities in June 2024. "The Goodyear Community Fund has been set up as a grant-making initiative designed to distribute the net sales proceeds of the original club building to support grassroots organisations within the greater Lurgan and Craigavon area. "The focus of the fund builds on the original ethos of the Goodyear Sports & Social Club in ensuring a positive legacy with the continued promotion of sport, arts, health & wellbeing and cross-community engagement. “The fund is due to launch early in the New Year and will be managed by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI). "It aims to recognise and celebrate the contribution of voluntary groups and people locally and the aim is to make it a simple application process. "Further details and links to the criteria and application timelines will be found at www.communityfoundationni.org."
