Fatboy Aid Press Release
Best Dressed Man Is?
By LISC
October 5 2002
The Fatboy Aid story continues. This press release was issued by LISC on Tuesday. It covers some of the key fundraising events to date.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY 1st OCTOBER 2002
The London Irish Supporters club are undertaking a series of fundraising events to support the "Jarrod Cunningham fund".
Jarrod Cunningham is a former London Irish Rugby player, who was the top points scorer in the Zurich Premiership in season 1998 / 99, and is known throughout the rugby community as a free scoring fly half, and a great ambassador for the game. Jarrod was diagnosed with ALS (Amyothropic Lateral Sclerosis) a form of motor neurone disease, in May.
Typical of his fighting spirit, Jarrod has decided to try to help others who find themselves in the same situation by setting up an internet based helpline for ALS sufferers. The helpline will be designed to give positive help and advice immediately after diagnosis.
To raise the money to support this and other MND related ventures, a committee has been set up and a fund put in place. There are several stakeholders in this fund raising effort, not least London Irish Rugby Club.
Immediately the news of Jarrods illness became public, London Irish supporters were keen to help. Several fundraising ventures were put into place, and these are now starting to come to fruition. A signed ball was donated by Barry Torbett, and auctioned on the internet raising £250. In another fundraiser organised by Bev Albutt 20 Cyclists pedalled the 32 miles from the clubs ‘spiritual’
home in Sunbury to the Madejski stadium, on the morning of the Bath home game, and raised more than £2,000. Other Fundraisers Include a blanket collection at the NRSA touch tournament, as well as raffles at the meet the players evenings, and the Henley barbecue.Perhaps the most successful fundraiser so far has been production and sales of Tee shirts bearing the slogan "JC Rugby legend" on the front, and documenting Jarrods exploits in a London Irish shirt on the back. Initially, these shirts were sold via the internet to readers of the "Sunbury Centre" and "The Craic" Internet sites and message boards. More than 60 individuals invested their own money before selling 700 shirts to friends and relatives. This phase of the operation raised more than £2,200 for the Jarrod Cunningham fund. Now the Appeal is in Phase 2, and it is planned to sell the tee shirts at every London Irish home and away game this season.
LISC Committee member, Chris Tampsett commented:-
"The response to this appeal has been fantastic, not just among London Irish supporters, but also from our opponents. When Bath visited us, they had collections on the coaches, and just handed over a big bag of money, Leeds let us sell shirts in the ground, and Leeds supporters bought more than 100. Then there was a fantastic gesture when we played Harlequins at the Stoop. The entire Quins team took the field, and warmed up wearing JC Tee shirts. This has given rise to a new Slogan for this appeal "Rugby looks after its own."
So far 1,200 Tee shirts have been sold, and during the home game against Wasps on 29th Sept a
cheque was handed over to Jarrod Cunningham for £3,200. The target for Tee shirt sales, is to sell 2,500 before the end of the season and raise at total of £7,000.Other fundraising events are in Progress. A London Irish supporters’ Joke book has been compiled by Bill Newton and edited by Robin Clive, this will be on sale for £3.00 per copy, and it is targeted to sell at least 2,000 copies. There is an innovative "Wig around the World" competition in which one of the green LI supporters club wigs (known as Alice), will be taken by various travellers, to
visit as many destinations worldwide, as possible, culminating in the Rugby World Cup in Australia next autumn. People are being invited to guess the total distance the wig will travel in that time. The lucky winner, will, in true Irish fashion. win the wig!There are also two events coming up shortly in which people are being invited to enjoy themselves, whilst contributing to the Jarrod Cunningham appeal.
First there is a fundraiser on Friday 18th Oct (19:30 to midnight) at The Guinness Club, Twyford Abbey Road, North London.
Then there is the first annual London Irish Supporters Club
Dinner and Dance at the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre at Madejski Stadium,
Reading on the 9th November. With excellent food and wines, and
dancing until 1 am to
Le Cheile, the London Irish band, 400 people are expected to attend this event.
£5.00 will be donated to the appeal, for every person who attends..
There will be a raffle of Zurich Premiership rugby shirts which is expected to
raise a four figure sum. There are still places available for this event for
both members as well as a very few corporate tables.
Glenn Delaney, co-chairman of the UK Committee of the Jarrod Cunningham Fund commented:
"We are overwhelmed with the generosity of London Irish supporters, and rugby supporters in general. We started the fund to raise money to provide the care and support that Jarrod will need in the future, and have been very pleasantly surprised by all the initiatives that have been started by individuals, and organisations with whom we were not previously in contact. If even 50% of the fundraising targets are achieved, then we will raise a large amount for this very worthy cause. This appeal has certainly brought home to me what a generous and tight knit community exists among rugby followers."
Contact details:
Jarrod Cunningham Fund:
C/o Patrick Lennon Associates, Finlandia Centre Oxford Rd. Gerrards Cross. Bucks. Tel 01753 893050 Fax. 01753 893051 email: mail@patrick lennon.com
Membership and Dinner Dance enquiries:
Chris Weldon, Membership Secretary, 1 Rowdens Close, West Wellow, Romsey, Hampshire, SO15 6RF Tel 07801 712618 email: london_irish_sc@hotmail.com
For further Press information Contact:
Chris Tampsett, 4, Glenrhondda, Emmer green, Reading, RG4 8LB
Tel. 01753 789696. Email. tampsett@btinternet.com
London Irish Supporters Club