As members may be aware, a number of years ago Railway Union Sports Club established a Sustainability Workgroup to investigate and pursue opportunities and projects which might have a climate positive impact. The Sports Club updated its Constitution in 2022 to include Climate and Sustainability ambitions in its core values. These ambitions are closely aligned with those of the Hockey Club which had already developed its own Sustainability in Sport programme.

We were delighted to learn during this past week, that the Sports Club has been awarded a grant by Dublin City Council under the Community Climate Action Fund. This grant funding has been awarded to assist the Sports Club in installing solar panels and battery storage to reduce its electricity demands on the grid and to also install a covered bicycle area to encourage greater use of sustainable transport to and from the club.

The Sports Club alongside hockey and many of the sports which make up Railway Union have further ambitions and potential projects to make a positive impact on our climate footprint and to encourage greater sustainability. Some of these are incorporated within the Sports Club's application for a Sports Capital Grant (under evaluation by the Department) and others are still in the research phase. If there are members who have a passion for encouraging climate positive actions and who would like to get involved, please let me know.

Paul O'Brien
Chair, Management Committee
The Railway and Steampacket Athletic & Social Union