About
Move4Matt is Leicester’s way of engaging people in some form of physical activity celebration as the Matt Hampson Trust Fundraising Committee, set off on their annual charity walk to Twickenham.
The Matt Hampson Walk will begin on 22nd May 2010 at Clifton Cruisers based in Rugby (and other locations) and will finish at the Premiership Final at Twickenham on 29th May 2010. The walk will start in Rugby and follow the tow paths of the Grand Union Canal, with narrow boats as support vehicles.
The Walk will include a cross selection of walkers from club supporters to sponsors and in some cases players. The Walk4Matt is a 110 mile walk along the canal tow paths from Rugby to Twickenham, with twelve support narrowboats, one for each of the premiership rugby clubs. The primary goal is to raise as much money for 3 great causes, Matt Hampson Trust, Special Effect and The PRA Benevolent Fund.
Funds are raised from the staging of corporate sponsorship events along the route, mobile texting, Just Giving websites, collection tins and good old fashioned sponsorship forms for locally based events, through clubs and schools.
Each club will have its own boat. Breakfast, lunch stops and evening meals have all been planned along the route with various pubs and rugby clubs supplying fund raising and entertainment opportunities.
The walk has the backing of British Waterways, PRL (Professional Rugby Limited) and the PRA and all 12 Guinness Premiership Rugby Union Clubs, LeicesterTigers, Northampton Saints, Bath, Worcester, Gloucester, Leeds Carnegie, Newcastle Falcons, Sale Sharks, Harlequins, London Wasps, Saracens and London Irish.
Matt is known all over the country as the inspirational figure who has given hope to so many people going through a tough period in their lives. The guy who got injured, but wouldn’t take it lying down. How did he become this iconic figure?
Then came the moment that changed his life. “Matt remembers the call and
he remembers the shove and he remembers the scrum collapsing, just as it had many times before. He remembers going down and his feet
being lifted off the ground and feeling suddenly unable to breathe, as his team-mates piled on top of him.” (The Times March 12th 2006).
Matt suffered a dislocation in his neck which had trapped his spinal cord. It has left him paralyzed from the neck down and more determined than ever from the neck up. It is Matt’s spirit and bravery that has earned him such recognition and has pulled together the rugby world who want to take care of one of their own.
Matt is currently taking on different roles as he tries to regain his independence. He is now writing a rugby column for the Leicester Mercury’s Sporting Green, helps out with coaching at Oakham School, is Patron of a new charity Special Effects ( a charity which is dedicated to helping all young people with disabilities to enjoy computer games) and continues to contribute both financially and verbally to help spinal research. 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.
|
