Worcester Warriors star Rico Gear kicked off the Family Forwards campaign in aid of ChildLine and called on families to support the campaign through their local Guinness Premiership rugby club.
Over the weekend of 4/5 April 2009 each of the Guinness Premiership clubs will be running family fundraising activities in support of ChildLine, a service of the NSPCC.1
Donations made during the matches will benefit the NSPCC Child’s Voice Appeal, a three-year £50m fundraising campaign to help answer more calls to ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline for adults worried about a child.
Rico Gear of Worcester Warriors said: “Enjoying a rugby match together as a family, away from the pressures of daily life, can be a great way for parents and children to relax together and get talking to each other.
“That’s why I’m backing the Guinness Premiership’s Family Forwards campaign to get more families enjoying a day out at their local rugby club, and help to raise vital funds for ChildLine.
“Please help support ChildLine through Family Forwards by getting your ticket for Worcester’s special match day on 4 April or the Guinness Premiership Final on Saturday 16 May.”
Mark McCafferty, Chief Executive of Premier Rugby, said: “A family day out at the rugby can be an ideal way to spend some quality time together with your children – and with Family Forwards you’ll also be helping support ChildLine. For the 1 in 3 supporters who attend Guinness Premiership games with their children, safety and security coupled with a great match atmosphere, are reasons they keep coming back week in week out.”
Recent research by the Guinness Premiership revealed that while 74 per cent of supporters appreciate rugby’s ‘non-threatening family atmosphere’, 26 per cent of them cite ‘family commitments’ as the number one reason why they can’t attend more matches as a spectator.2
Tickets for the Worcester Warriors v Saracens match on April 4 at are available by calling 01905 454183 or by visiting warriors.co.uk