Friendship and fun days at Twickenham
England international matches in the RFU Injured Players Foundation’s specially-adapted hospitality box see clients and their families enjoying the rugby and the chance to get together.
At the Autumn Nations Series, out on their wheelchair-friendly balcony the cheering was never louder than when England beat World Champions South Africa.
Sharing lunch and a few drinks, everyone swapped experiences, anecdotes and talked of their love of rugby and the difference IPF support is making to their lives.
Multi-tasking Max
IPF client, Max Levene, has been working as an economist for around five years but he’s a natural multi-tasker, as well as having a spirit of adventure.
During the pandemic he managed to go to a forest holiday site in Cornwall and catch up with old rugby playing pals from Truro School. Then he decided to go sky diving to raise money for the IPF, having waited for the right kind of weather.
“The most difficult part was getting into the harness and into the plane,” he laughed. “It wasn’t scary at all once we were up there. When the doors opened, I thought ‘That’s quite a view. I’d happily do it again.”
He had already been surfing in Wales thanks to Surfability UK. “They let me take a wave but there were people there to help if I needed them,” he said.
Add to that a drive around Silverstone in an Aston Martin, bought as a birthday gift by his partner because “I’m a massive fan.”
Now Max is applying to be one of 100 wheelchair users to sail around the world in stages and, with an all-terrain vehicle, which resembles a quad bike, he is also looking at trip through Africa.
“Why? Why Not,” he says.
All this and a new start-up business, he and his partner have called Soap Senses, which so far has been selling to family and friends and they are hoping to expand next year. Max says they started making their own soaps because both react to commercially sold soap products. He may have a sensitive skin, but Max is certainly one tough cookie!
Independence at home
Jonathan Purnell was in the IPF hospitality box watching England beat South Africa. Having grown up in South Africa, he returned to Hartlepool where he was born and was injured playing for Harlepool BBOB.
“The IPF have given me independence in my home, including installing a wet room and have helped me go back to family in South Africa. My father died there in January and because of lockdown I haven’t been able to bring his ashes back, but I know I can rely on IPF help when I do,” he said.
With him watching the match was daughter Ciara who has just finished her English literature degree.
“She’s a tremendous support. I would struggle to make the journey without her, and I love to come to Twickenham to enjoy both the rugby and the camaraderie here,” he said.
ERIC present cheque
Jonathan and fellow clients thanked the England Rugby International Club (ERIC) for a donation to the charity of £5,000, the cheque presented in the hospitality box by former England players Phil de Glanville and Jamie Salmon.
Delivering blood, organs & breast milk
Paul Grant was injured in December 2016 as he put off retirement to play alongside his nephew. Normally a prop, he was playing hooker and was lucky to survive the accident he puts sown to “the position I was in and my inexperience.
“The NHS saved my life twice after my accident, so now I volunteer to give back and, on a motorbike, I deliver blood, organs and breast milk mums donate for premature babies.”
A mechanical handling coordinator with the Culina Group, formerly Eddie Stobarts, Paul talks about how the IPF paid for his wife to travel to his side for the six months he was in hospital and rehab and how they funded specialist neuro physio which helped him to lift his arms again. He also recalled two weekends spent at the RBL Battle Back Centre where weekends are part of the IPF Engage programme.
“My wife and I had such a positive experience of spending time there with other IPF clients and their families,” he said. “Partners suffer too and often struggle to feel better after the injury and Battle Back was fantastic.”
Wife, mother & ice hockey player
The irrepressible Danni Watts was at Twickenham with her husband Peter, having been married in the summer, and her dynamic duo Lillie (11) and nine-year-old Freddie.
Not only did Danni raise £10,000 for the IPF when she completed the London Marathon in her wheelchair, but she is a personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach of the Rams women’s team.
Injured in 2017, she always wants to give back to the IPF who “helped me get my home, put a lift through the ceiling so I can be with the kids upstairs, and made it possible to take them to school on my hand bike.”
She talks too of the help she has had via Battle Back, Hobbs from the multi-disciplinary team and with posture and pain management.
Now Danni has also been helped with an ice hockey sledge as she plays the sport for Cardiff and Great Britain and continues to be an inspiration.
Club Chairman & IPF Trustee
Lee Jones is not just an IPF client, he’s also chairman of his rugby club Old Silhillians and a Trustee of the Injured Players Foundation.
“It’s awesome being in the box at Twickenham,” he said. “The atmosphere is incredible and it’s great to see the others and have a chance to catch up.
“Being a Trustee means I can give the client perspective. Having an insight on what it’s like to be an IPF client is useful when looking at all the scientific help we can give via grants. Sharing the experience, I know what clients might need.”
With such a positive group of injured players, the hospitality box is always buzzing on match days and that speaks volumes for the way the IPF, the RFU’s official charity, and the wider game’s support makes a real difference.
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