Restart (formerly known as The RPA Benevolent Fund) was established in 2001 to support professional players who have been forced to retire from the game due to serious injury or illness.
The Restart charity provides financial, practical and emotional support:
• Help with the cost of long-term or on-going medical treatment
• Assistance to pay for equipment or home improvements to help with rehabilitation
• Support to attain qualifications and retrain in event of a career-ending illness or injury
• Counselling service to help players and their families cope during difficult times
• Financial support if a player is unable to work as a result of illness or injury
• Medical research and injury prevention initiatives
The RPA’s player development manager for Leicester Tigers, Lynsey Ward, has been helping the charity herself as well as through her work with the RPA. The took on the challenge of running 100 miles during February.
Supported by the club, she successfully completed her challenge this week, immediately after the Tigers training session at Welford Road on Friday, raising sponsorship to add to Restart funds.
Lynsey said: “Everyone seems to make New Year’s resolutions so this year I decided mine would be to set myself a challenge for a great cause and do my hardest to achieve it.
“In a moment of madness I thought running 100 miles in a month would be a great personal challenge for me but why stop there? February only has 28 days so I decided to do it in the shortest month of the year.
“It was tough but definitely worth it to raise money for what is such a worthwhile charity.
“The players and staff’s enthusiasm and support for the charity and my challenge has been amazing and it has really helped to raise awareness and money for the cause.”
To find out more about Restart visit www.restartrugby.org.uk or to donate to Lynsey’s challenge visit www.justgiving.com/Lynsey-RPA or text RPAL99 £1, £5 or £10 to 70070.
