L-R: Harley Williams, Peter Austin, Charlotte Dowling, Robin Johnson, Cliffie Hodgson and Adam Balding celebrate the rugby club’s renewed partnership with Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has scored a second-year partnership with Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club, with an aim to raise vital awareness and funds for the charity.
Birmingham’s largest independent hospice – which is celebrating 40 years of care this year – has been named the club’s ‘Charity of the Year’, following a successful year of fundraising in 2018/19.
Over the last 12 months, generous supporters of the rugby union club have raised £4,525 for the Hospice, enabling its expert doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, counsellors and more to continue to care for local people living with life-limiting illnesses.
Big-hearted fans raised the impressive funds through bucket collections at home games and the club also hosted some of the charity’s events, including its festive fun run, ‘Jingle Bell Jog’, and its popular 10k walking challenge, ‘Rugby Ramble’.
Robin Johnson, Commercial Director at Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club, said: “As a local sports club, we wanted to partner with a charity that supports local people, which is why we’re delighted to be teaming up with Birmingham St Mary’s for a second year. It’s always heartening to know that the money our brilliant fans and club members raise will help people across our city to receive the care and support they need at a time when they need it most.
“I’m really proud that our supporters raised over £4,500 for the Hospice last year so thank you to everyone who made a donation or got involved with an event. As a true competitive sportsman though, I’m hoping that we can beat that amount this year – especially as it’s the charity’s 40th anniversary – and raise even more funds for them.”
Charlotte Dowling, Corporate and Community Fundraising Manager at the Hospice, added: “Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club has been a fantastic supporter over the past year so it’s wonderful to hear that we’ll be partnering with them again for their upcoming season. Not only does this partnership raise much-needed funds for the Hospice but it gives us an opportunity to spread the word of the crucial care we provide to people who are living with life-limiting illness.
“It will cost £9 million to run our vital services this year, 64 per cent of which must come from generous voluntary funding. That’s why partnerships with local groups and businesses, such as Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club, are essential in making sure we can continue to care for people wherever and whenever they need it.”
This year, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is celebrating 40 years of care across Birmingham and Sandwell. When the Hospice first opened in 1979, it could care for 25 people on any given day. Four decades later and the Hospice is supporting over 400 people every day, providing care in people’s homes, in the community, at its Day Hospice facility and at the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit.
To find out more about the Hospice, visit: www.birminghamhospice.org.uk.
To find out more about Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club, visit: www.moseleyrugby.co.uk.
