The RFU Injured Players Foundation announces Sir Bill Beaumont as its new Patron
The Injured Players Foundation is delighted to announce Sir Bill Beaumont as its new patron.
The former British & Irish Lions and England captain and current World Rugby Chair will start his tenure as IPF Patron this month.
The IPF is a charity which supports players at all levels of the game, from grassroots to professional rugby, who have sustained a catastrophic spinal cord or traumatic brain injury while playing rugby union in England.
Beaumont said: “I am honoured to have been asked to become Patron of the RFU Injured Players Foundation, a charity that for me epitomises the rugby spirit.
“Rugby is about people. It’s a sport built on so many great values, but at the heart of it all is the rugby family. There’s always great comfort in knowing that when you face big challenges in life, your rugby community will rally around you. Thankfully, these types of injury remain extremely rare in our sport, so most players will never need to contact the IPF.
“However, it’s important they know the charity is there to help in the unlikely event a catastrophic injury happens, and it will continue to be there to support a player and their family for life.
“On behalf of everyone at the Injured Players Foundation, I would also like to share our sincere thanks to Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, for his leadership and support of the IPF as Patron since 2010. We appreciate the time and commitment he has given to our rugby community over the years and I’m looking forward to keeping him updated on IPF work and player achievements.”
Alongside Sir Bill will be a team of rugby personalities who will support the charity’s ambition to raise awareness of its essential work among the rugby community and to support the charity and players.
Those already signed up to the squad include Jason Robinson, Danielle Waterman, Mike Brown, Topsy Ojo, Emily Scarratt, Jonny Wilkinson, Katy Daley-McLean, Austin Healey, David Flatman, David Barnes, Maggie Alphonsi, Alex Sanderson, Sarah Hunter, Wayne Barnes, Luke Pearce and Nick Mullins.
Stephen Pearson, Chair of Trustees for the IPF added: “I echo Bill’s heartfelt thanks to the Duke of Sussex for his tremendous support of the charity. I’ve been fortunate to see first-hand how his empathy and encouragement has helped players.
“We warmly welcome Sir Bill Beaumont as our new patron alongside an incredibly exciting support squad. With Bill’s already extensive legacy across both the global and domestic game, he is the perfect person to lead us into a new era in which we hope to expand services available to our IPF clients, increase understanding of the range of these programmes, share our IPF client’s inspiring stories and raise awareness of the charity within the rugby community. We are looking forward to working together and to introducing Bill to our players.”
The IPF provides support and information to rugby players in England who sustain a catastrophic spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury playing the game and helps prevent future injuries through vital research. To discover more or how to help visit the IPF website.
