Visitors to Keighley Rugby Football Club in the coming months can expect a major transformation.

The picturesque Aire Valley club were one of only three in the United Kingdom - and the only one in England - to be awarded a grant worth £5,000 in the RBS RugbyForce initiative.

The nationwide RBS programme has delivered support to clubs involved in renovation projects, with Keighley being chosen for a major award alongside Pontycymmer RFC from South Wales and Marr RFC from Scotland.

In addition to their RBS RugbyForce grant, RugbyForce partner Rhino has provided each of the three winning clubs with Rhino rugby equipment to the value of £1,000.

Also, the programme has delivered a welcome boost for the first 200 of the 401 clubs who registered for the programme, with each collecting up to £250 in support for their own renovation projects.

“The RBS RugbyForce award is a marvellous boost for the club and one that has come at precisely the right time,” said Keighley RUFC chairman Dr David Mortimer.

“We had a number of external jobs which needed attention - some, like improved ambulance access and traffic calming, being more urgent on safety grounds.

“At the same time, we are celebrating our silver jubilee at our present location next year and we were looking to spruce up the clubhouse and make it more attractive to the many groups and private parties who use the facility.

“The RBS RugbyForce award means that we can now get to work on both projects.

"We have a very active group of more senior citizens working at the club every Wednesday, keeping the place clean and tidy and the pitches in tip-top condition.

"They are all willing, resourceful volunteers and the prospect of having the wherewithal to get on with these jobs, thanks to RBS, is a real thrill.”

Keighley, Pontycymmer and Marr were three of 401 clubs who registered for RBS RugbyForce 2010 across England, Scotland and Wales, each submitting a proposal for club project work planned for the official RBS RugbyForce Weekend in June this summer.

This year’s surge in registrations means that hundreds of clubs across the country will be calling on supporters and local volunteers for a weekend of fun-filled activity and renovation work.

The aim of the RBS RugbyForce programme, created and supported by RBS Six Nations sponsor The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), encourages communities to give something back to their local rugby club by volunteering to undertake improvements to clubhouses and grounds.

The official panel of judges that assessed the 2010 registrations were RBS RugbyForce supporters Ieuan Evans, Jason Leonard and Andy Nicol, as well as Rugby World editor Paul Morgan, BBC Sport producer Ron Chakraborty and head of brand and marketing for RBS, David Webb.

Leonard said: "We were blown away by the amount of clubs registering this year and by the quality of the entries. Clubs had put forward some really strong cases, and judging was tough.

“Keighley stood out for us all though. They had really thought about the detail of club improvements needed that would benefit their own members and the surrounding community.

"In a predominantly rugby league region like Yorkshire, it is even more important for us to help develop the grassroots of the union game, and hopefully their RBS RugbyForce Weekend will help kick-start this process.”

Local clubs to receive £250 were Bradford Salem, Cleckheaton, Roundhegians, Yarnbury and Leeds Met Women.