“The Charitable Trust carries out vital work for the game in Wales and the WRU is delighted to have made this latest contribution to their funds. Ever since the Trust was launched in the early seventies they have provided far more than merely money to those seriously injured players they are concerned with,” said Rowlands.
“The support network they have created for the players and their carers has, in many cases, greatly enhanced their lives and has always ensured that rugby has taken care of those unfortunate enough to suffer major injury.”
The Trust is currently helping 22 players who are currently confirmed to wheelchairs and a further nine who have suffered major injuries. This major cash injection comes in the same month that the first beneficiary of help from the Charitable Trust, former Pontypool prop Roger Addison, marked the 40th anniversary of his injury.
“Roger tragically broke his neck playing for Pontypool at Rugby on 5 November, 1966, and was one of the first players to receive help from the Charitable Trust. Since then we have spent more than £2m on helping injured players,” said WRCT secretary and trustee Edward Jones.
“The cheque from the WRU will enable us to do even more for our group of injured players and hopefully help to improve the quality of their lives. We have already received £30,000 from the Dragons Trust this year and also a further £10,000 from the British Lions Trust.
“We try to provide cars for all our wheelchair bound players and everyone receives a summer grant and a £500 Christmas bonus. We spend around £100,000 every year on helping the players, which is basically the interest we receive from our £2m fund – the more money we have at the bank, the more we will be able to provide for the players.”
The WRU are continuing their fundraising for the Trust this month by providing £1 from every programme sale throughout the four match Invesco Perpetual Series. That means the WRCT can expect a near £50,000 bonus when the games are completed.
