Bath Rugby has announced that tickets in the Upper Tier for The Clash at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 8th April will directly benefit the Club’s National Charity Partner, Help for Heroes, and Bath Rugby Foundation, the charitable arm of the Club.
The two charities will collectively receive 50% of the net proceeds from the £15/£5 Upper Tier tickets on sale for the game, which will see Bath take on age-old rivals Leicester Tigers at the Home of English rugby. Tickets can be purchased at bathrugby.com/charity.
Bath Rugby and Help for Heroes have been in partnership since 2015 with a focus on the benefit of sport on the road to recovery, with players returning from injury sharing state-of-the-art equipment at the Help for Heroes Recovery Centre, Tedworth House. Recent research by Help for Heroes and Kings College London found that at least 66,000 Servicemen and women need long term support to help rebuild their lives.
Amongst the incredible work Bath Rugby Foundation do in the local community to help disadvantaged children and young adults, they run sessions in military communities using sport to engage young people from military families who often lead transient lifestyles.
As well as the net proceeds from the sale of the tickets in the Upper Tier, Bath Rugby will also wear a limited edition shirt when they run out on to the pitch, which has been created exclusively for The Clash. After the game, the shirts will be signed by the squad and auctioned off in a number of ways to raise more proceeds for the two charities.
Bath and England winger, and serving solider, Semesa Rokoduguni, was on hand to launch the unique shirt at Twickenham. The shirt includes quotes from a beneficiary of each charity on the sleeves, describing what sport means to them and how it has helped their lives.
Rokoduguni said: “Both Bath Rugby Foundation and Help for Heroes do fantastic work, and as players we’re proud to play our part in supporting them on what is going to be an awesome day for the Club. We’re really excited to be running out as a team at Twickenham, and look forward to seeing as many people supporting these two great charities as possible on the day.”
Sport is a hugely vital part of the work that both Help for Heroes and Bath Rugby Foundation do with a focus on motivation, raising self-esteem and confidence, overcoming setbacks and improving life skills. The match serves as a perfect way to show support for those who may need it now or in the future, as well as inspiring openness about mental health and seeking help.
Former Bath, England and British Lions rugby player Lee Mears and Royal Navy Veteran Nick Richardson are just two individuals who have seen first-hand the work of the two charities after being forced to leave the line of work that defined them, due to injury or illness. With the backing from Bath Rugby at their forthcoming fixture at Twickenham, they hope that this will help people in similar situations to access the support needed when facing adversity.
Mears, whose heart condition prematurely ended his career in 2013, said: “It (retiring) was like mourning a death, a very bleak time. My purpose and direction had disappeared. At first I didn’t know what to do next and really worried that losing my identity would mean I was forgotten about so quickly and had let everyone around me down.
“I’m now a trustee of Bath Rugby Foundation and we help disadvantaged young people to feel part of a team and have that support network. I want people of every background to feel it’s okay to talk. The proceeds generated at The Clash will be invaluable in helping others who find themselves in similar positions to myself and Nick, so we can’t thank Bath enough for their crucial involvement.”
Richardson added: “Lee and I have both battled some really dark days, especially at the beginning of this process and it’s still there every day. But if it wasn’t for the amazing support I have received from my family and Help for Heroes I simply do not know where I would be today. I cannot stress enough the importance of not only having an understanding ear to listen, but also something of a safe haven when times get really tough.”
Charity tickets in the Upper Tier for The Clash are now available with prices from £15 for adults and £5 for children. To book your seat for one of the most-anticipated fixtures in the Aviva Premiership calendar, visit bathrugby.com/charity.
