The Matt Hampson Trust Fundraising Committee
are organising a charity walk on behalf of the Matt Hampson Trust, SpecialEffect (www.specialeffect.org.uk) and other designated charities chosen by each participating club.

The walk has the backing of British Waterways, PRL (Professional Rugby Limited), PRA (The Professional Rugby Players Association) and all 12 Guinness Premiership Rugby Union Clubs, Leicester, Northampton, Bath, Worcester, Gloucester, Bristol, Newcastle, Sale, Harlequins, Wasps, Saracens and London Irish.Starting from one designated point – Clifton Cruisers, in Rugby, the walk commences from the birthplace of our great game and ends at the headquarters in Twickenham.

We will arrive in Richmond-on-Thames on midday Friday 15th May 2009, the day before the Guinness Premiership Final at Twickenham. All walkers will walk around the pitch before the final, on May 16th. To achieve this goal the walk will commence from Rugby, on Friday morning 8th May 2009.

The launch
Victoria and Phil, at Clifton Cruisers, have kindly agreed to a launch party on the evening of Thursday 7th May 2009. We expect approximately 200 people to attend.

Narrow boats will act as support vehicles, with each club having a maximum of 12 walkers.A number of fund-raising events will be organised along the way, using canal-side pubs, adjacent rugby clubs or sporting clubs

It is anticipated that a number of celebrities, both sporting and non-sporting, will walk with us and promote our goals. A high level of media coverage, both television and national press is also expected.

The Matt Hampson Trust Fundraising Committee are organising all aspects of the walk, from the hiring of the narrow boats, engaging qualified skippers for all boats, encouraging celebrities to participate and the supply of food and drink and a major sponsor. Each club will supply a maximum of 12 walkers who, in turn, will obtain their own sponsorship. The proceeds from the walk will be donated as follows - one third to the Matt Hampson Trust, one third to SpecialEffect and one third to the preferred charity of the participating club.