On 29 July 2023, Canterbury Rugby Club’s Men’s 1st XV, Pilgrims, and Development (3rd XV), and Canterbury Women’s, along with representatives from Hellfire gathered around the coolbox to play a game of Hundred cricket.
Hellfire player Owen West was given the duty of presenting the match ball, after a couple of first-time bowling attempts.
With plenty of (adult) beverages to be had, the atmosphere for the day was phenomenal – and the cricket was certainly the social, community, fun type many people look for in sports as a whole.
The kindness, and community spirit, of those who participated can be summed up in one simple number – £260. Between cash on the day and bank transfers, the collective group from those four teams within Canterbury RFC donated 260 pounds to the continuance of Canterbury Hellfire Wheelchair Rugby.
As a charity run organisation, donations are the things that keep us going both in terms of equipment, and ensuring we have facilities to train. To put the day into inventory terms, £260 funds a bulk purchase of 65 inner tubes – of which we get through quite a few each month, or ten tyres (which last just a little bit longer).
It is the continued embracing within the rugby family at Canterbury, and indeed at times without, that enables Canterbury Hellfire to provide a fantastic experience for disabled people.