Who We've Helped

Matt Hampson

In March 2005, Leicester Tigers Academy and England U21 player Matt Hampson was training with the England squad when he suffered a dislocation in his neck which trapped his spinal cord. It has left him paralyzed from the neck down, but more determined than ever from the neck up.

The RPA Benevolent Fund has supported Matt throughout the 18 months he spent at Stoke Mandeville following his injury and since his return home, assisting with medical costs and equipment at his specially renovated home in Oakham.

Matt was awarded the RPA Blyth Spirit Award in 2006, and in 2009 he became the first RPA Benevolent Fund Ambassador.

Without question, Matt is an incredible young man. He is an Inspiration and motivation to everyone who knows his story. It seems like nothing is too big a challenge for Hambo and with his determination and a little luck, the world really is still very much at his feet.

Matt is currently taking on different roles as he tries to regain his independence. He is now writing a column for the Leicester Mercury's Sporting Green, helps out with coaching at Oakham Rugby Club and he hopes to one day contribute heavily to spinal research.

"Rugby is the best team sport in the world, I don't feel any bitterness. Why would I? I've got fantastic friends from the sport as have my family. Rugby is not just a sport, it's a way of life- and you don't really know that until you have played."

Matt Hampson

Find out more about Matt's current fundraising event, Walk4Matt 2010 and the forthcoming Matt Hampson Six Nations Dinner
Find out more about Matt on his own website, at http://www.matthampson.co.uk/

Scott Hobson

During the 2010-11 pre-season, young Bath Rugby lock Scott Hobson suffered a worrying injury that left him unable to move his arm. Scott suffered damage to nerves in his shoulder which required an operation, and he is currently working through a rehabilitation programme that has been estimated to last for a minimum of 2 years. The RPA Benevolent Fund have partnered up with RPA's Official Car Supplier Mercedes-Benz to help support his rehabilitation by providing an Automatic car which enables Scott to travel independently to Bath's training ground, where he is undergoing rehab and continues to support his team mates by helping the coaching and video analysis teams.

Robert Todd

Former Sale Sharks player Robert Todd was diagnosed with a potentially fatal skin cancer in March 2006. He was forced to retire from the game with immediate effect, and received a donation from the RPA Benevolent Fund in August 2006 to help with his initial medical costs. Amazingly, just over a year after his diagnosis Toddy ran the Flora London Marathon, raising £8000 for the Benevolent Fund to help his fellow players.

Following extensive treatment, Toddy is currently cancer-free and studying to become a chiropractor. The Benevolent Fund has helped him purchase the equipment he needs for the course , and will continue to support him in the future.

Alastair Hignell

Alastair Hignell is a former Bristol and England full back who also played county cricket for Gloucestershire. A Cambridge Blue in both rugby and cricket, Higgy was a great sporting all rounder who enjoyed a hugely successful career in rugby journalism for the BBC following his retirement from first class sport in the late 1980's. For the last decade Higgy has been battling a progressive and incurable form of multiple sclerosis, which finally forced him to retire from the BBC in May 2008.

Higgy's continued efforts to live an uninhibited life are testament to his strength of character, and he has been awarded the RPA Blyth Spirit Award twice, in 2002 and 2008. The RPA Benevolent Fund has helped with his ongoing medical and physiotherapy costs in retirement.

The Nick Duncombe Memorial Trust

Harlequins and England scrum half Nick Duncombe died suddenly in 2003 from a rare form of blood poisoning. He was just 21. The Benevolent Fund made a donation to the Nick Duncombe Memorial Trust in 2003. The Trust was set up to finance future youth development projects.

Jarrod Cunningham

Following a successful career in New Zealand rugby, Kiwi born Jarrod played Premiership rugby for five years before being diagnosed in 2003 with a form of Motor Neurone Disease, called ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). He was given 18 months to live.

For the next four years, Jarrod fought his illness with the same mentality of determination, stubbornness and inspiration that he had shown as a player. He used his profile to raise awareness of MND, and raised funds to help provide hope, education and inspiration to fellow sufferers.

Jarrod received a donation from the RPA Benevolent Fund to help with his medical costs, and he moved back to his native New Zealand in 2004. Jarrod passed away in 2007, he was aged just 38.

Help For Heroes

Following the enormously successful Help for Heroes rugby match at Twickenham in September 2008, the RPA Blyth Sprit Award for 2008/09 was presented to Help for Heroes at the RPA Rugby Players' Awards Dinner in May 2009, along with a donation from the RPA Benevolent Fund.

Help for Heroes raises money to support members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their country.

The Help for Heroes Rugby Challenge match was supported by the RFU, who loaned Twickenham to the charity for the day, and the event raised over £1.1 million to go directly towards the rehabilitation the British troops seriously wounded on active duty in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq Rugby and the Forces, particularly the Army, are synonymous with rugby and all three were well represented amongst the two star-studded sides battling it out in the last of the warm summer sunshine and led by two of the great international players of recent years.

Find our more about Help for Heroes at http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/