The pause in play during the rugby season has not halted the work of Harry Wells as an ambassador for the National Autistic Society.
Leicester Tigers forward Wells was nominated for the Gallagher Community Player of the Month Award for his work in raising awareness of autism – he is an active campaigner for The National Autistic Society with a personal connection through his son Oscar – and also for his support of the club’s Inclusion Day at Welford Road during March.
But Wells didn’t stop there, as he also got on his running shoes and took on the ‘7K for 700K’ challenge during World Autism Awareness Week, beating his fundraising target of £1,500 and also inspiring some of the Tigers’ supporters to do the same.
Wells has made 91 first-team appearances for the club since graduating from the academy ranks, including 20 in the current season.
In launching Inclusion Day, which Tigers marked with a league victory over Worcester Warriors last month, he said: “Life has never been easy with twins Theo and Oscar in the first place but, since Oscar’s diagnosis, we have had to educate ourselves on the challenges around autism and how they fit into our day-to-day lives.
“I think more people are aware of autism now, but there is more to be done.
“Since speaking about our experiences, I’ve been overwhelmed with the level of support and number of people contacting us to share their association with autism.
“We are fortunate as rugby is a very family-friendly environment. Every child and individual is different and by simply asking if someone is okay or offering to help, you can make things easier for those around you."
