England Rugby 2.6 Charity Challenge

STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY RFU THANKS CLUBS FOR THEIR GREAT COMMUNITY WORK AND CALLS FOR SUPPORT OF ENGLAND RUGBY’S 2.6 CHARITY CHALLENGE

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.

Staffordshire County RFU is proud of the great work that has been undertaken by its clubs during this unprecedented time. Great examples are Essington RUFC who are supporting Street Buddies who are distributing food to local care homes; Stafford RUFC who are using their new kitchens and refrigerated storage to help local charity The House of Bread in supporting the most vulnerable in their community and Tamworth RUFC have also volunteered any practical help needed by those in the area.

The London Marathon, which would have taken place this Sunday, is the world’s biggest one-day fundraising event. It raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of charities in 2019. In its place this year is The 2.6 Challenge, a campaign to help UK Charities during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the RFU is supporting it.

We now call on our clubs and communities to support England Rugby’s 2.6 Charity Challenge which is taking place from Sunday 26 to Thursday 30 April. England players have put their own spin on The 2.6 Challenge, but an activity can be anything from running 2.6 miles to doing 26 push-ups. Full details on how local clubs, their members and their communities can take part can be found on Englandrugby.com here.

The Injured Player’s Foundation (‘IPF’) is England Rugby’s official charity. They provide support and information to rugby players in England who sustain a catastrophic spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury playing the game, and help prevent future injuries through vital research. So when thinking of who to support, we ask participants to consider the IPF, donating here, any other charity here, or just support a charity of their choice or possibly a club’s chosen charity.

John Atkin, Chairman, comments: “Our first priority was the safety and welfare of all those involved in the game. It is saddening to hear of the losses of several members of the rugby family and our thoughts go out to their families and friends.

“We applaud the considerable effort that clubs across our county have gone to in order to engage with their members as well as raise funds for deserving charities, the NHS, care workers and the wider local community. We’ve heard about some inspirational ideas that clubs are implementing to keep their clubs sustainable in the future.

“We are fully supportive of England Rugby’s 2.6 campaign and believe it is a great way for our clubs to continue to engage with their members and communities. We look forward to seeing the videos that emerge from those who take part.”

You can click https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/clubs-provide-food-funding-and-fun

And also here to read the inspirational club stories on Englandrugby.com, which includes reference to the great work being undertaken by Essington, Stafford and Tamworth