The Rugby League Cares Heartlands Cycle Challenge team have thanked the RFL’s Match Officials for their support of the sport’s first Charity Round.
Aaron Moore and his team of officials joined the Hull KR players by warming up before last night’s match at the Brick Community Stadium in bright orange T-shirts to raise awareness of the Seriously Injured Players Fund, which was relaunched earlier this year and is the fund-raising focus for the Charity Round.
Pete Stephenson, one of the long-term beneficiaries of the Fund who is part of the team pedalling Batec armbikes around the sport’s northern heartlands this weekend as part of the Charity Round, said:
“As an RFL employee, I work in the same building on the Etihad campus as the match officials, and I see for myself how committed they are, and how much they love the sport.
“As soon as they heard about the Charity Round, the Match Officials department wanted to find out how they could support us - and it was great to see Aaron and his team wearing the orange T-shirts before the match in Wigan last night, as well as the Hull KR players.
“It was a tough first day because of the Lancastrian weather, but we had fantastic support from St Helens as we left the Brewdog Stadium, and then from Wigan when we arrived in the Fan Village before last night’s game – and it was an honour for us all to be there on the night Wigan remembered Sir Billy Boston, and to sign the condolences book in his memory.”
There’s no rest for Pete and the team, as they were up early this morning to head back over the Pennines to the outstanding community club Siddal, where they started a long second day of the challenge which ends at Castleford tonight.
Aaron Moore, pictured above at the Brick Community Stadium with touch judges Matty Lynn and Mark Craven and reserve official Paul Marklove, said:
“We’re all right behind Pete and the rest of the cyclists, and the whole concept of the Charity Round.
“It’s Rugby League at its best, with the whole sport coming together to support the Seriously Injured Players Fund – and it’s amazing to see guys who have suffered serious injuries putting their bodies on the line to raise money and awareness.
“All the match officials in the Super League games this weekend will be wearing orange warm-up T-shirts to help raise that awareness – although ours might take a while to dry out after last night.”
To support the Heartlands Cycle Challenge, click on their Just Giving link here Seriously Injured Players Fund is fundraising for RFL Benevolent Fund
Rugby League Cares are asking Rugby League fans to consider making a donation of £2 to support the Charity Round and the Seriously Injured Players Fund. For more details, click here Seriously Injured Players Fund is fundraising for RFL Benevolent Fund