Sports stars raise £50,000 for Matt Hampson rehab centre

England rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson joined fellow athletes from the world of sport for an evening dedicated to the Matt Hampson Foundation and its scheme to build a £1 million rehab centre at Burrough-on-the-Hill.
Mouth painter Henry Fraser with Jonny Wilkinson and Matt HampsonMouth painter Henry Fraser with Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Hampson
Mouth painter Henry Fraser with Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Hampson

More than £50,000 was raised for the foundation, which was set up by Cold Overton man Matt Hampson – a former England 21 rugby player who became paralysed following an accident on the pitch in 2005.

The foundation aims to support people who have sustained catastrophic injury through sport.

There were 350 guests at the London event hosted by David Flatman. Other notable guests in attendance include Rio Paralympic stars Rob Davies and Colin Lynch and accomplished artist Henry Fraser who paints with his mouth, along with several Leicester Tigers legends.

Leicestershire business people with Jonny Wilkinson at the charity dinnerLeicestershire business people with Jonny Wilkinson at the charity dinner
Leicestershire business people with Jonny Wilkinson at the charity dinner

Matt talked at the event about the Get Busy Living centre, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre to be built on the Burrough Court Estate for beneficiaries as well as support for their families.

He said: “We are overwhelmed with the generosity shown by those who attended the dinner and we’d like to extend a huge thank you to them, and of course Jonny Wilkinson, for their outstanding support.

“The funds raised will go a long way towards the development of our upcoming venture, the Get Busy Living centre, a specialist facility our beneficiaries can come along to receive physical and mental support following a life-changing sporting injury.”

The Matt Hampson Foundation, which submitted revised planning permission for the £1 million Get Busy Living centre earlier this month, has a number of high-profile patrons and ambassadors, including Mike Tindall, Stuart Broad and Leicester Tigers’ brothers Manu and Freddie Tuilagi.

For more information on the Get Busy Living centre, visit matthampsonfoundation.org/what-we-do/get-busy-living-centre

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