Rugby stars back charity walk
Howard Lake | 7 May 2009 | News
SPORT Walk, 06 May 2009 – 16:50
England’s Rugby World Cup winning captain, Martin Johnson, has thrown his weight behind a charity walk to raise money for young people with disabilities.
Martin, now England team manager, is one of a host of rugby legends to back the Walk4Matt, a 120 mile walk along the Grand Union canal between Rugby and the Guinness Premiership final at Twickenham, to raise funds for good causes including SpecialEffect, an Oxfordshire charity dedicated to helping young, disabled people enjoy computer games. The walk will also support the Matt Hampson Trust and charities chosen by the 12 premiership clubs.
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The walk, which will begin at Clifton Lock in Rugby on May 8 at 8 AM, is the brainchild of SpecialEffect’s patron Matt Hampson, who was paralysed while training for the England Under 21 rugby team.
The event, supported by all 12 Guinness Premiership teams, aims to raise funds for the world’s first fully accessible computer games suite at the Helen and Douglas House Hospice, the centrepiece of which will be a £60,000 eye control machine that will give disabled youngsters the opportunity to play computer games using just their eyes.
Martin Johnson said: “On behalf of the whole England squad and staff, I am delighted to offer our wholehearted support to the Matt Hampson Walk. Matt is an incredible young man and his courage is a huge motivation to us all in the rugby world and beyond. “The issue of care for players who have sustained serious injury is one close to my heart, as well as everyone in the rugby family. I am sure the walk will be a great success and I look forward to seeing everyone there.”
Leicester Tigers legend Dusty Hare, rugby’s world record points scorer, will be walking the whole route along canal towpaths from Rugby to the Guinness Premiership Final. He said: “In my experience, one of the things that sets rugby apart is the fact that players, supporters and officials see themselves as part of one big family. “That is certainly the case when it comes to looking after those, like Matt, whose career and life has been affected by serious injury.
“Walk4Matt is a fantastic event and it is great news that it has the support from all of the Guinness Premiership clubs and so many people in the rugby world.”
Leicester Tigers head coach, Richard Cockerill, said: “Matt is such a courageous and positive young guy that these events deserve great support.
“I hope as many rugby supporters as possible, from all the clubs, can do their bit by either being sponsored to walk part of the route or by offering sponsorship to others taking part.”
Stars including Bill Beaumont, Lawrence Dallaglio, Andy Goode and Harry Ellis, who has recently been selected by the British Lions, have all pledged their support for the walk.
Matt Hampson said: “I am thrilled with the support the walk has received from all across the Rugby family – players, coaches, Guinness Premiership clubs and the England squad – especially in the Walk’s inaugural year.
“The money raised will make a real difference to young people with disabilities, spinal cord research and other valuable causes from the Premiership clubs’ designated charities. I am very much looking forward to the fun and banter with rugby fans on the walk and us all coming together on the pitch before the Guinness Premiership Final.”
Nick Streeter, SpecialEffect fundraiser said: “SpecialEffect is fortunate to have such an inspirational patron as Matt Hampson and we’d like to thank Matt, all the rugby legends backing the event and the walkers and sponsors for this fantastic support of our work.”
Fundraising events will be taking part along the route and people can support the walk by visiting www.walk4matt.org and www.justgiving.com/walk4matt.
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SpecialEffect
The Old Bakery
Sheep Street
Charlbury
Oxfordshire
OX7 3RR
www.specialeffect.org.uk
www.walk4matt.org
www.justgiving.com/walk4matt
01608 810055
07837688804
Registered Charity No 1121004
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.