BT boost for Ospreys junior wheelchair rugby team
The Ospreys junior wheelchair rugby team are to benefit from a new wheelchair specifically designed for rugby thanks to the support of BT Cymru Wales.
Funds were raised to buy the new chair, which typically costs between £1800 and £2400, after BT donated a series of rugby-related gifts for a raffle held by the Ospreys junior wheelchair rugby team.
More than £1300 was raised from the raffle which will go towards buying the much needed new chair for the team.
Bridgend-based BT engineer Neil Halloran, whose son Jack has cerebral palsy and enjoys playing for the Ospreys junior wheelchair rugby team, explained: “Wheelchair rugby is a fantastic sport, but obviously some of the equipment required can be a bit expensive.
“There’s a big family feel to the club as a lot of the parents, like myself, and volunteers give up their time to help run the club on a day to day basis. As a club, we aim to give the children a platform to express themselves, gain confidence, learn core values and be part of a rugby family and participate in regular exercise.
“The hospitality tickets and signed shirt donated by BT made a huge difference and I know that my son Jack and his team-mates along with the other parents are delighted with the money we were able to raise.
“I don’t think it would have been possible to reach the amount we did without the generosity of BT and its continued support of rugby and wheelchair rugby.”
Alwen Williams, reginal director for BT Cymru Wales, said: “Giving something back to the community is something that’s very important to us in BT.
“Our support of the four rugby regions goes much further than simply sponsoring the jersey or stadium and being able to help the Ospreys junior wheelchair rugby team is a reflection of our commitment to the community.”
Based at Llandarcy Academy of Sport, the Ospreys junior wheelchair rugby team, who work closely with the Ospreys regional rugby team, are the first of their kind in Wales and regularly play against teams from across the UK, including Bristol, Northampton, Stoke and Leicester.
BT has been a principal sponsor of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby for a number of years and supports areas such as the BT Youth Programme and the BT National Tournament.
