Charities
The RPA Benevolent Fund was established in 2001 to provide financial support for players who have been forced to retire from the game due to serious injury or illness, and support players’ families in the event of their untimely death. As an increasing number of players suffer career ending injury, it is imperative that the Benevolent Fund continues to grow. Through the generous support of businesses, rugby supporters and the players themselves, the PRA Benevolent Fund has been able to raise thousands of pounds each year to help players and their families who are in need. Previous recipients include the Nick Duncombe Memorial Trust set up in memory of the Harlequins & England scrum half who passed away in 2003, Sale Sharks Andy Blyth, London Irish full back Jarrod Cunningham who passed away last year from Motor Neurones Disease aged just 39, former England and Bristol full back Alastair Hignell and, most notably, Leicester and England's U-21 prop Matt Hampson, who suffered a serious neck injury in 2005. Through the PRA Benevolent Fund we are able to assist players such as these with the necessary medical costs, as well as provide a support network which the player or family can turn to for help advice or encouragement.
The RFU Injured Players Foundation supports people who sustain a serious injury whilst playing rugby. We can assure you any money donated will be well spent - the charity provides help and support for both players and their families in the early months of an injury, as well as in the long term. More information on the work of the charity is available at www.rfuipf.org.uk
Help for Heroes (H4H) was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry after a profoundly moving visit to Selly Oak Hospital in the summer of 2007. Bryn and Emma met some extraordinarily brave young people who had been badly wounded and they just wanted to do something to help. "It’s about the blokes, our men and women of the Armed Forces. It’s about Derek, a rugby player who has lost both his legs, it’s about Carl whose jaw is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It’s about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. It’s about Ben, it’s about Steven and Andy and Mark, it’s about them all. They are just blokes but they are our blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes."
Please note Virgin Money Giving isn't responsible for the content fundraisers post on their pages, but if you see something you feel is offensive or inappropriate, please let us know and we'll look into it.
Hilly's Charity Fundraising Page
Why I'm riding the Lexus Great British Bike Ride
Since I retired from rugby in 2008 I have continued working with Saracens and, where possible, I have been seeking opportunities to give back to the game. I was delighted, therefore, to be asked to help with the Lexus Great British Bike Ride in September and am really looking forward to the ride from Lands End to Twickenham. The Ride is raising much needed funds for Help for Heroes, The RFU Injured Players Foundation and the RPA Benevolent Fund and aims to raise £1.5 Million over the next five years.
I was looking for a new challenge after kayaking in Norway last summer with the Saracens and the LGBBR seemed perfect. The hard work of training for such a challenge has begun and I've already shifted about a stone in weight! Needless to say, there are a lot more hard miles ahead!
The charities that LGGBR are supporting are fantastic causes and I truly believe in the work that they do. I was lucky enough to have a long and successful career but I also had my fair share of injuries over the years, with various problems with my back, neck, nose, shoulder and groin, not to mention the significant problems I have had with my knee. I've had a total knee replacement this year. That's not a reconstruction, but a whole knee replacement. Usually these operations are done at about the age of 60, not at the age of 36! The new knee has a life expectancy of 10-15 years so I won't be doing any running on it but, fortunately, cycling is fine as it keeps the majority of my weight off the knee. Personally, I feel that getting on my bike for four days cycling is the least we can do to help these fantastic charities that do so much for both our armed services and for our sports men and women. I'm looking forward to doing my bit.
I'm hoping to encourage other riders to share the experience of the LGBBR and hopefully there will be around 200 riders doing all four days and another 100 riders for each of the daily stages. The tented villages for the overnight stops at Tavistock, Yeovil and Winchester are all at well known rugby clubs and will, I'm sure, be offering traditional hospitality for those with the energy left at the end of a hard days ride! The finale of the event will be at Twickenham on September 4th, the day of the London Double Header matches, which are getting bigger and bigger each year so we anticipate a crowd of over 70,000 to cheer us in.
Please join me on the ride if you can, or if not, you can support the charities by sponsoring me for my ride by clicking on the "Donate now" button below. For those that are competing I look forward to meeting and riding with you.
Richard Hill
Recent donors
|
Carolyne & AJ Huyser £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 01.09.10 Good luck, keep going :) |
|
Pete & Sylv £25.00 (+ £7.05 giftaid) 22.06.10 Good luck for you and all the riders |
|
Bronel Group Ltd £500.00 07.06.10 Hi Richard ,Best of luck in raising lost of money for such great causes ! Atb Noel |
|
David Fawcitt £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 29.04.10 Hope there is plenty of padding on the saddle! |
|
Julian £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 26.04.10 Best of luck Richard and hope it's not too painful!! |
|
Linda & Steve £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 23.04.10 Good Luck Richard. |
|
Peter Sweeney £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 22.04.10 Go for it Hilly ! |
|
Dave Annas £15.00 (+ £4.23 giftaid) 22.04.10 Good luck Hilly! Missed you at the last RUINN. Excellent causes, hope you make a mint! |
|
Andrew Hallam £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 08.04.10 Good luck for some great causes... |
|
Silly Billy £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 01.04.10 Good luck to Hilly and all the riders. I will be up for it next year. Just had knee replacement. |
