Rugby League’s charities are continuing to work hard for the sport’s communities during the coronavirus lockdown, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society.
RL Cares is facing increased demands for its welfare services from players, some of whom are finding the enforced break especially tough.
The rugby league charity are promoting good physical and mental health across the sport through initiatives like All Onside and Rugby League United, and are keeping fans engaged and entertained by screening videos of classic matches on their Facebook page throughout the day.
The RL Benevolent Fund is maintaining its lifelong support for the players whose lives have been changed forever by accidents on the field of play: from players injured in the 1970s through to stars such as Mose Masoe, who suffered a serious spinal injury playing for Hull KR in January.
Other charities such as the Steve Prescott Foundation and the professional clubs’ charitable foundation are delivering vital services and support to communities across the country at this most difficult of periods.
All this is happening at a time when all charities are being starved of the funds that keep them going. Hundreds of fundraising events have already been cancelled, events which would have generated significant sums to help keep charities working.
RL Cares, for examples, should have been cycling from Niagara Falls to Manhattan from Sunday May 3 on the Empire State 500, an adventure that stood to generate upwards of £100,000 for Rugby League causes.
In response, the organisers of the biggest mass-participation sports events have come together to create the 2.6 Challenge to raise vital funds to help to support the UK’s charities in these difficult times.
RL Cares have developed a 2.6 Challenge of their own, named the Egg Chasing Challenge, in order to raise much needed funds to continue delivering their support to players within our sport.
All you need to complete the challenge is an egg (no boiled ones that’s cheating!), a parter to take on the challenge with from inside your household and a couple of metres of space.
A step-by-step guide of the challenge can be found below, make sure you video your successful attempt, nominate five friends to take on the challenge and make a donation to RL Cares.
- 1 – Take a raw egg (in its shell!)
- 2 – Two people stand back to back, one takes one step forward and the other steps forward 1.5 paces to maintain a socially distant 2m
- 3 – The two players must make two sets of six catches with the egg – the first set by throwing and catching with their right hands, the second set with their left
- 4 – Between each set of six, the players do a press up
- 5 – Once completed, nominate five other people to take part in the challenge
- 6 – Make a donation of £5.20 – £2.60 each – to Rugby League Cares via the 2.6 Challenge Justgiving page
- 7 – Post a screengrab of your donation on social media to show your support for Rugby League charities.
We have already seen members of our First Team and Reserves taking part, and we want to see as many supporters as possible getting involved too!
Make sure you tag RL Cares and the official Widnes Vikings account your attempt, and we will share them across our social media platforms.
To make a donation to the RL Cares 2.6 Egg Chaser Challenge, click on the below button and search for ‘Rugby League Cares’.
Good luck to everyone who takes part, and thank you for supporting this fantastic cause!
