Robbie’s Rugby Festival is a 10s tournament that has been growing in numbers and excitement for the past eight years, writes Jessica Warrington.
This year’s event is its biggest yet with over 30 teams playing during the day. This is then followed by a big celebratory party in the evening on the pitches.
“The festival is in aid of two charities, the Robbie Anderson Cancer Trust and also The Jake McCarthy Foundation, both of which are close to the organisers’ hearts.”
The Robbie Anderson Cancer Trust aims to provide a facility where all children in age-appropriate surroundings can have a special pace to be in. This was demonstrated by the milestone opening of the revamped Ward 27 at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. The RACT are exceptionally proud to have been such a vital part in fundraising and achieving this goal in Robbie’s memory. The campaign was set up during Robbie’s fifteen-month battle with a rare form of terminal cancer at the age of just 12.
Jake McCarthy meanwhile, a former Loughborough Grammar School pupil, was found to have a large brain tumour whilst on holiday in December 2012. Jake underwent emergency surgery to remove this, but tragically did not regain consciousness and passed away at just 24 years old. The main aim of the foundation is to raise enough money to buy a pioneering piece of equipment, in Jake’s name, to enable surgeons to distinguish brain tumours from healthy tissue and therefore give the patent a much greater chance of survival and lead a normal life.
Function Jigsaw got involved two years ago, on the back of our event organiser, Jess Warrington, attending the event as a spectator of the rugby games. When she started working at Function Jigsaw, she got in touch with Robbie’s Rugby to see if anyone supplied pitch side support and sports massage for inter and post-event sports massage.
Following on from this, Function Jigsaw will be supplying the pitch side physiotherapy and sports massage to all participants of the event.
We are all very much looking forward to Robbie’s Rugby Festival, as it is such an enjoyable day for our team and we also know how important it is for everyone taking part to have the right supervision on the pitches throughout the day. That’s what we will be there for.
On the day, we will be supplying the teams involved with RFU-certified pitch-side therapists along with six massage therapists in the rugby village. There will be a hot tub with cold water in for an ice bath option when those muscles are fatigued throughout the day, strapping and taping available and sports massage to keep you going all day long (this will all available with donations being made to the two charities).
We hope the weather is shining and you all enjoy your day! See you all on Saturday.
