The concept of Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer is really starting to take shape across the country and it's starting to happen now! Please visit our new Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer website at www.rugbyttc.org.

Find out about our participation in the Community Rail Day at Bridlington Station held on Saturday 20th May 2006

Teenage Cancer Trust Meeting at Blaxton

Last week fundraisers Will Richardson and David and Sheila Brazier chose the new coffee shop at Walkers garden centre for the ideal location to meet Richard Shaw who had travelled from London and Iain Kimberley from Wetherby.

Richard is Campaign Director for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Iain is Northern area representative for the charity. The meeting had been called to discuss a major new fundraising venture – RUGBY TACKLING TEENAGE CANCER.

This started in 2002 when Will organised an acoustic music concert in David and Sheila’s back garden.  The concert, Midsummer Music Madness, was a resounding success and raised over £5000 for the charity.

Unfortunately, one neighbour considered the event to have been too resounding, and his complaints to the council meant that the concert planned for the next year had to be moved at very short notice to Brantingham Park, the home of the local Rugby Union club Hull Ionians.

After three successful concerts at Brantingham Park, Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer is set to be taken up by Rugby clubs throughout the country.

Richard said that he was very moved by the support of the Rugby world towards the objectives of the Teenage Cancer Trust.  The charity, dedicated to young people who have contracted the Big C, is seen as a very relevant charity for their support.

The Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) exists to address the particular problems of teenage cancer sufferers, recognising that being treated in a children’s ward or alongside the elderly in adults’ wards is not conducive to their well-being.  The specialist units are designed for, and partly by teenagers – where young people can be together and have fun, as well as being given the best possible medical treatment.

One of the TCT’s very important functions is to educate young people about lifestyle issues which will promote good health and hopefully to help avoid life threatening illnesses.

Iain addresses young people in groups ranging from a few to school assemblies.  Many schools and colleges find that his teaching fits in very well with their curriculum.  He is equally happy talking to adult professional groups, considering that the raising of awareness is of paramount importance.

No charge is made for his services and if groups would like to arrange for Iain to visit, he would be pleased to hear from them.

Richard and Iain were very surprised with the venue arranged by Sheila on the suggestion of a friend.  Richard remarked that in his many years of corporate and TCT meetings, he had never attended a meeting in a garden centre.

They all agreed that this was a very special place to hold an informal meeting and felt that the matters they had discussed would prove significant for this very worthwhile charity.

For more information about the TCT please visit the TCT website or email David and Sheila Brazier.

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