Clubs provide food, funding and fun
Clubs up and down the country have been demonstrating rugby’s values to help those most affected by coronavirus, support the NHS and spread a little sunshine among their communities and members.
Tabard RFC has been supporting Londoners who are significantly affected by coronavirus. The Food Foundation charity says more than three million people in Britain are going hungry because of the pandemic and Tabard, under the leadership of Laura-Jo Pearce, has been working literally hand in glove with A Plate for London.
Over the Easter holidays, club volunteers delivered 9,000 school children’s meals to eight different hubs around the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The food was sourced from three different north London restaurants and club members provided transport, drivers, administrative support and not least good cheer. The club minibus also delivered food parcels to the various hubs.
A Plate for London aims to ensure that disadvantaged people living in London are provided with a nutritious meal every day and is extremely grateful for the Tabard volunteers who helped successfully deliver a demanding project within a very short time. The club will continue to support A Plate for London and are glad of any donations to www.aplateforlondon.org/donate
Henman congratulates club
Old Ruts RFC have been running a hugely successful food bank, linked with AFC Wimbledon’s Foundation’s Dons Local Action Group, and is helping elderly and disadvantaged people across Merton, Kingston & Wandsworth deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
They have collected a huge amount of food at the club, with Old Ruts and London Irish scrum half Caolan Englefield helping to pack up the boxes. Even tennis star Tim Henman is impressed, saluting Old Ruts...
Following an urgent request for food and donations from Cobham Food Bank, All Stars touch player Vanessa Brown and volunteers at the Food Bank were overwhelmed by Cobham RFC members’ support.
Vanessa said: “It’s an amazing collection, all being delivered and we’ve also had just under £1,000 donated. This is such great support from the rugby club - thank you."
Essington rugby club decided to donate their stock of goodies to Street Buddies who are distributing food to local care homes, following this up with £550 of members’ donations spent at the cash and carry and delivered to Street Buddies. The Parish Council website says “A huge donation from members and supporters of Essington rugby club. This really is an amazing community.”
North Manchester RFC in Moston senior players have been giving up time to shop for the elderly and vulnerable of the surrounding area and Veseyans visited a local school to deliver goodies for children of key workers. They also took a few special items for the teachers looking after the kids while their parents are looking after everyone else. Tamworth Rugby Club have also volunteered any practical help needed by those in the area.
Boot bags for respirators
In the north, Grimsby rugby club donated their stock of boot bags to Grimsby Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital. The nurses and staff were saying they had nothing to hold their personal respirators so club head coach and player Tom Roberts, who works at the hospital, asked about the club’s boot bags. “Of course,” said Hon Sec Andy Picking, “we willingly obliged.”
Old Northamptonians RFC have been raising money for Northamptonshire Health Charity who support staff at Northampton General Hospital. What began as a small fund raiser to buy some supplies for the staff working long hours soon attracted donations of some £2,500 all to support hospital staff.
Canvey Island Rugby Club launched a hakas and haircuts fundraising effort for the NHS. Club members have been shaving heads, beards and men have been waxing their legs, while others have been performing the Haka.
The Islanders’ Jon Campion said: “Our director of rugby Alex Breading wanted to find a way for the club to say thank you. Our amazing club members, spread across juniors, seniors and their families, have given generously and created hilarious photos and videos to support this great cause.
“They show what can be achieved in a short amount of time to support our amazing NHS. Our members managed to raise over £2,400 in the first nine hours and I’m sure this will just continue to increase. “We’ve all needed the NHS at some point and now more than ever the whole community is indebted to the amazing sacrifice they are all making on a daily basis.”
Showing support
Clubs are also aware that charities are suffering a shortfall during the pandemic and are helping by fundraising. Sunderland RFC has embraced karaoke on WhatsApp as well as dressing up ‘Stars in their Eyes’ style to raise much needed money for charity and collected more than £800 in one weekend
Keswick RFC having raised over £10,000 planned to present cheques to the Teenage Cancer Trust and The Tiny Lives Trust at their old boys’ reunion in March at a double-header home match at Davidson Park. Realising the real needs of the two charities during the pandemic they sent more than £3,200 to Tiny Lives and more than £6,800 to help teenage cancer patients.
Elsewhere, Hull RUFC players showed their support for NHS workers in a creative way...
Youngsters kept engaged
Crawley rugby club ran a lockdown club shirt art competition, won by Tommy from their U12s with Daniel in the U13s and Finley in the U7s close runners up, all winning prizes. Many clubs have also filmed pass the ball videos. Nottingham Corsairs after two days had made 9,000 passes with parents and siblings joining in and raising some £500.
Paviors in a rural Nottinghamshire has had their U9s passing the ball on video and say their deep gratitude to all the very brave people who are at risk protecting us all including many of the Paviors family. They are going to dedicate the first game of next season to all of these heroes and invite them to the club for a warm and heartfelt thank you.
Cornish Pirates’ players Dan Frost and Javier Rojas Alvarez, along with Physiotherapist Simon Edwards, were at the St. Clare Medical Centre in Penzance as stewards, helping ensure that visitors to the health centre’s pharmacy maintain recommended social distancing.
Said Simon: “We are proud to be doing our best to our local NHS in whatever way we can and will continue to do so where needed support.”
Several other players then performed the important stewarding role, including Antonio Kiri Kiri, Fa’atiga Lemalu, Tom Channon, Danny Cutmore, and Marlen Walker.
