East Grinstead Living June 2021 Issue

EA S T

June 2021

RINSTEAD Living

© Dariusz Plucinski

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Whats inside this month

Dear Residents, Welcome to the June issue.

The weather in May has been very variable but we hope June brings, at last, a mini heatwave - well deserved! - and everyone can enjoy more activities with family and friends this month.

We bring you a feature about the Matt Ratana Foundation and all the incredible inroads being made.

Grow Your Own Drinks

Local History Notes: K & L

Standen has an vibrant new exhibition running this Summer, see our feature.

Local historian Dorothy Hatswell brings you another history write up of ‘L&K’ this month.

Who doesn’t like a cocktail or a mocktail? See our wonderful recipes and ways you can make them ‘home-grown’ this Summer.

Joy in the Making

Raise a cuppa for the NHS

As things start to open up, please do send us through any goings-on that may be taking place so we can make local residents aware.

Thank you for supporting our many local businesses, we hope we can help with your garden and home goals this Summer.

Matt Ratana’s Legacy

Have a lovely June,

Brightening Your Walks

Tally & Chris East Grinstead Living To advertise call 01342 300152 info@egliving.co.uk www. egliving.co.uk

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

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Waterlily Festival

Wasps Appoint New Manager

East Grinstead Living Notice: East Grinstead Living prints various articles, features, and advertisements. Although these appear in East Grinstead Living, any opinions expressed are the opinion of the author, these are not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. ©Copyright East Grinstead Living 2021. The contents of this publication are written specifically for our readers, no part may be reproduced elsewhere without express and prior permission.

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Local History Notes: K & L Dorothy Hatswell of the East Grinstead Museum, brings us the next instalment, K & L, of her A through Z of local history.

The village of Lingfield, lying just north of East Grinstead, is closely associated with the town, despite being in another county, an all too familiar story in this area. It has a historic core, surrounding the church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, where there are many brasses of the Cobham family. The lock-up on the village green, is a well-known feature in the centre. The nearby racecourse is a very popular venue, which boasts an all-weather track, and for which Lingfield is most famous.

The Kings Centre is normally a well-used facility in our town of East Grinstead. The many different activities that are on offer, mean that most people are catered for.

Although the pool replaced our popular, and much loved, open-air Brooklands swimming pool, the indoor pool is more practical throughout the year. Its name

reflects the name of the site on which it was built. On the death of King George V, in 1936 after celebrating his Silver Jubilee the previous year, a committee was charged with coming up with a suitable memorial to him.

The customary statue was cast and mounted on one of the plinths surrounding Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square. However, it was implemented more imaginatively with a scheme to provide, “ an open space for exercise, outdoor games, sports and pastimes”, for all communities throughout the country. Each site was to have pillars on either side of the entrance to be built of local stone or brick and to have a panel on the right hand one depicting the heraldic figure of a lion, complemented on the left, by a unicorn. A few of these soon appeared in some villages and towns, but the advent of WWII halted the scheme until after the cessation of hostilities, when they were rolled out across the kingdom. A rather amusing sequel, was that to celebrate the coronation of Elizabeth II, an oak sapling should be planted near the entrance to all the fields, “but not too near the toilets.”

Kidbrooke, in Forest Row, was built in 1733 for Lord Abergavenny. The grounds were landscaped by Humphrey Repton. It was

bought in 1803 by Charles Abbot, later Lord Colchester, the then, Speaker of the House of Commons. Michael Hall, a Rudolph Steiner School, now flourishes in the grounds of this historic building. Frank Dillane, who played the part of Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, was a pupil there.

Several historical figures have had connections with East Grinstead. Katherine Lewkenor has a memorial brass in St Swithuns Church.

Flanked by her two husbands, she was the widow of Richard Lewkenor of Brambletye. Her first husband was Sir Thomas Grey and, during his lifetime, served both the wives of

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LOCAL HISTORY NOTES: L & K CONTINUED

Edward IV and Henry VII, as a lady-in-waiting. When Sir Thomas died, Katherine married Lewkenor.

Richard Kidder, Bishop of Bath and Wells, who tragically died, together with his wife, when the chimney collapsed on their bed during the Great Storm of 1703 storm, was born in East Grinstead. He was educated, in his early years, at Thomas Payne’s private Grammar School.

Benjamin Latrobe started his illustrious career in Sussex, designing both Hammerwood House and Ashdown House, before immigrating to America.

Ashdown House was at one time, a private school, which was attended by Boris Johnson. Among many important landmarks in America of which Latrobe was the architect, was the Capitol, the recent target of riots.

East Grinstead also gave protection to a future winner of a Nobel Prize. Arriving in East Grinstead in 1939, was an Austrian refugee, Walter Kohn. His Jewish parents were killed at Auschwitz.

Before their capture, they put Walter and his sister on the Kindertransport route out of their German occupied country. Walter lived in Forest Row for a short period in 1940. While there he attended the Grammar School, now the Lower School for Imberhorne, in Windmill Lane. Soon moved on by the authorities and interned, he eventually went to Canada. He won the Nobel Prize for physics in 1998.

However, he never forgot the help he received in England and revisited the grammar school in the first decade of C21st.

Kingscote House was one of the many large houses which sprang up in this area, with the advent of the railway, in the 1850s. However, the station at Kingscote was not built for the occupants of the big house, as Grange Road Station, in Crawley Down was - for the convenience of the owners of The Grange.

The latter made “their” station a condition of the sale of the land for the track across their land. Kingscote was there to allow the quick transport to the London markets of the milk from the nearby farms. It was for many years, the terminus of the Bluebell Line, from Sheffield Park, but after years of fundraising the landfill site at Imberhorne was cleared, and the extension into East Grinstead was possible once more.

Due to the partial lifting of restrictions, the East Grinstead museum is now open again. Anyone who has been interested or intrigued by these articles, should visit the museum, where they will find many more facts, figures and myths about this area. They abound, both in the exhibits and also in the Resource Room, which is freely available to anyone who comes in. You will be made very welcome by our volunteer stewards, some of whom are long-time residents in the town and are often a further source of local information.

I look forward to seeing you there.

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Joy in the Making

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Niamh Wimperis at Standen credit Richard Grudzinski

This exhibition features work from top-name makers, including The Great Pottery Throw Down judge and ceramicist Keith Brymer Jones, world-renowned knitting, needlepoint and patchwork expert Kaffe Fassett, embroidery artist, Niamh Wimperis, recently seen on The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts, internationally exhibited textile artist Mr X Stitch plus well-known presenter turned photographer Edith Bowman.

Keith Brymer Jones explains, ‘Is there a strong link between doing something creative and emotions? I would say that was the definition of creativity.

It’s not even a strong link. They run together’.

Kaffe Fassett echoing his sentiment, ‘I have never, ever, been bored making textiles.

It always grabs me from beginning to end. It holds my attention… life interrupts me in my flow; but if it didn’t, I would happily be sitting listening to Radio 4, knitting away or sewing a patchwork or whatever for the rest of time.’

The Joy is in the Making finds a natural home at Standen which, as an Arts & Crafts destination, was built with handmaking woven into its fabric. The estate has a longstanding link with William Morris who well understood the benefits of the creative process back in the 1800s.

Indeed, the Arts & Crafts movement grew as a reaction against industrialisation and mass production in the Victorian era. At its heart was a desire to revive the skill of craftsmanship, its philosophy

to restore simplicity and honesty to how buildings and furnishings were created.

If the past year’s events have shown anything it’s that this link between getting creative and wellbeing are more important now than ever.

The makers want to share that joy, igniting a curiosity and extending an invitation for all to take a break from the daily buzz of phones and laptops and have a go at crafting.

As Mr X Stitch reflected, crafting will ‘change your life.

You need to have a go at craft because it’s good for you. You deserve it.’

The exhibition runs until Sunday 31st October, 10am to 4.30pm, See website for details and bookings.

Kaffe Fassett at Standen credit Roger Bloxham

A new exhibition now on at Standen looks behind-thescenes of the crafter, sharing not only their masterful works, but also the inspirations, emotions and deep sense of wellbeing that comes with the creative process.

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WASPS APPOINT NEW MANAGER EGTFC are delighted to confirm the appointment of Tony Reid as their new first team manager.

Tony takes over from Leigh Dynan, who has stepped down because of work commitments.

Leigh recommended Tony and his appointment last month.

Leigh said: “I’m really sad to be leaving; I have had a very enjoyable time despite all the problems we’ve all had to deal with in the last year or so. I know Tony well and felt he would be a great fit. I’d like to thank the committee for giving me the opportunity to manage such a good club.”

Grinstead were one of several clubs Tony played for in his career before he went into management. He led Westfield FC to the Combined Counties League title and into the Isthmian League play-offs in their first season at that level in 2019. They were poised for a play-off challenge again in fifth place when the league was halted due to the pandemic.

Tony said: “East Grinstead has always been a club close to my heart because I had such an enjoyable time there as a player. I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to return as manager.

I know Leigh well and he did an outstanding job and I hope to build on the foundations he put in place. The hard work starts now but I’m

really looking forward to the challenge.”

Tony will be assisted by Martyn Lee, who was his number two at Westfield.

Chairman Richard Tramontin added: “Tony was very popular as a player at the club and we will do all we can to support him. We want a strong and competitive first team but, like Leigh, Tony is keen to really develop a pathway so youngsters in our under-18s and under-23s get opportunities if they are good enough.

“We’re really optimistic about the future and looking forward to what the new season will bring.”

Please support your local football club… exciting real-life sport on your doorstep!

Brightening Your Walks Combe Hill road residents, Rachel Gamble and Rod Hughes, have set up a little table and chairs on their road in East Grinstead, to give weary walkers a chance to sit and rest. They’ve hoped to brighten people’s days as they go out for their walks, especially during the lockdown months earlier this year.

They decorated the area with a Christmas tree in December, an Easter branch full of colourful eggs and more recently a Maypole to celebrate May. They have left some ribbons loose so that children can play with it and weave the patterns.

In the past this philanthropic couple have also held fundraisers for the homeless and dementia charities.

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WATERLILY FESTIVAL

brings an explosion of colour to Sheffield Park Saturday 12th June – Sunday 18th July

Sheffield Park's picturesque lakes burst into life and visitors are invited to enjoy the spectacle by wandering the shores of the lakes, adorned by thousands of waterlily plants. There are seven different species, in different shades from buttery yellow to deep crimson red. Get up close to the bright blooms and buzzing dragonflies with their floating pontoon, installed specially for this natural event.

A giant fountain offers a new addition to this year’s celebration. The elegant installation promises to bring some dazzle to the lakes through the five-week long festival. Look out for giant lily pads and flowers created by awardwinning community art charity Same Sky; and

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Waterlilies were first introduced to Sheffield Park over a hundred years ago, head-gardener Flic Archer said: ‘Spending time in nature got many of us through lockdown and, despite a difficult year, gave us a sanctuary and a place to meet friends and family safely. It has to be my favourite time of year! I’m delighted that this year we will be able to share the view.’

For more information or to book tickets to Sheffield Park please visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-andgarden

QUICK S U P QUICK CROSSWORD 1

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CLUES ACROSS: 1 Last meal of the day

Across 1 Last meal of the day 7 Area of wasteland . . . in Hampstead?

8 Three-sided percussion instrument 9 Slug in a shell 10 Crazy 12 Hollow cylinder 13 Sodium chloride 14 Big cat 15 Track or route 17 Walled patio 19 Rainbow fish 20 Switchboard worker

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O A 21 Sheets and tablecloths T R I 22 Bull zodiac sign N I Down 10 1 Silky fabric N U T1 2 A steeplechase (5-2-5) 12 T 3 Jamaican music 14 4 Checkmate board game L I O 5 Quite insane (3,2,1,6) P I 6 Alpine hut 19 11 Earth’s light source T R O 13 Pig pen I T 14 Small 21 15 Mum or dad L I N 16 Fruit kernel T E 18 Mends with weaving stitches

Answers on page 6

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fun family activities to keep the kids entertained during the long, sunny summer days.

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june Quiz Answers on page 25 Hugo's Memorial Skate Park For the wider community, we bring you the great news that work has started on the new, 2. What is the capital of New Zealand? extended skate park in Forest row.

BrainBashers - Daily Sudoku Print 3. Which legendary surrealist artist is famous for painting melting clocks?

1. In what year did Tony Blair become British Prime Minister?

SUDOKU

BrainBashers Sudoku - May 21 - Super Hard

4. In which part of your body would you find the cruciate ligament?

5. What’s longer, a nautical mile or a mile?

6. In what year did The Beatles split up?

7. Gary and Martin Kemp were in what band?

8. What is rapper P Diddy’s real name?

9. Which European city hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics?

10. EastEnders began broadcasting on BBC One in which year?

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

2

3

7

4

5

6

Find more puzzles at BrainBashers [www.brainbashers.com]

Answers on page 6

8 9

1 of 1

10 11

12 13

16

14

15

17 18

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QUICK QUICK CROSSWORDUJ A Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone

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Across 1 Breed of small terrier (4,7) 7 Dirty talk 8 From abroad 9 Pecan or cob 10 Canal boat 11 Hot condiment 13 Subservient creep (3-3) 16 Smallest amount 18 Spoil or impair 19 Domestic science 20 To a position within 21 Net wages (4-4,3)

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S MU B L E 12P E E A C OO C 21 T A K

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Down 1 Articles for a rummage sale 2 Forty winks 3 Roof beam 11 4 To rub clean P 5 Short witty poem O 6 A magic light?

11 Skunk-like animal 16 L 12 Iridescent courtyard bird 13 How delicious! (3-3) E 14 Bright pink marine 19 C crustacean 15 Lack of enthusiasm A 17 Fangs

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Grow Your Own Drinks

Create a cocktail garden at home Cocktails at home have become a big hit over the last year, whether as a treat at the end of the day, to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, or just because it’s the weekend.

Using homegrown herbs and ingredients in cocktails and mocktails is a big trend this year. What could be fresher than ‘just picked’ fruit or herbs popped into an ice-cold drink? From garden to glass, once you start growing your own ingredients, you’ll realise that the taste is out of this world.

Here is a selection of refreshing botanical recipes:

season and a little bit tart, you may wish to add a little more puree, and if they’re fully ripe, then you may wish to decrease the puree.

• Ref: happyhourprojects.com/fresh-herbs

Refreshing Garden Gin & Tonic Ingredients (makes one drink):

Strawberry & Basil Infused Lemonade Ingredients (makes one drink): • • • • • • •

30ml lemon juice 85ml club soda 30ml strawberry puree 60ml vodka (optional) A few fresh basil leaves for garnish Strawberry chunks for garnish Ice

Method: • Mix together vodka (optional), strawberry puree, ice and lemon juice in a highball glass or mason jar.

• Top with club soda until the glass is full.

• Garnish with strawberry slices and basil leaves.

• Note: the sweetness of this drink will vary depending on the ripeness of your strawberries. If your berries are early in the

• • • • • • •

1 or 2 fresh rosemary sprigs 1 or 2 fresh thyme sprigs A few freshly picked basil leaves 1/2 a lime, juiced Ice 60ml gin 150ml tonic water

Method: • Add the rosemary sprigs, basil leaves, thyme sprigs and lime juice to a cocktail shaker and lightly muddle.

• Pour the contents of the cocktail shaker into a glass. Add gin, tonic water and ice. Gently stir to combine and enjoy!

• Ref: burrataandbubbles.com/garden-ginand-tonic

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• Pour into a large jug.

• Fill individual glasses with ice and garnish with thyme. Pour slowly and serve immediately.

Or be bold and create your own recipes depending on which ingredients you are growing.

Dill & Cucumber Gin Fizz Ingredients (makes one drink): • • • • • •

60ml gin 30ml lime juice 85ml club soda A few freshly picked dill sprigs 4 cucumber slices (plus one for garnish) Ice

Method: • In a short glass, add 3 slices of cucumber, gin, lime juice and a few sprigs of dill (removed from the stem).

• Muddle until the cucumber starts to break up.

• Add ice and top with club soda.

• Garnish with a sprig of dill and a cucumber wedge and serve.

• Ref: thisrenegadelove.com/long-weekendcocktail-dill-cucumber-gin-fizz/

Orange & Thyme Mocktail Ingredients (makes five drinks): • • • • • •

6 small oranges, peeled & seeds removed 1 tsp fresh thyme 1/2 tsp orange extract 60ml vodka (optional) 950ml pure coconut water Ice

It is very easy to create a cocktail garden at home. You can grow most fruit and herbs in flower beds or containers, and they tend to like a sunny spot with good drainage. Now that the weather is starting to warm up what better way to enjoy your garden than with a cocktail in your hand which includes your own homegrown produce.

Try growing: Fruit • Rhubarb (great in a Martini) • Strawberries (to pop into a Pimms or to create a Strawberry & Basil Infused Lemonade) • Apple (tasty in Pimms or in a Martini) • Peach (add to champagne to create a Bellini) • Blueberry (perfect for muddling, or for making syrups to use in blueberry cocktails) • Cucumber (for Dill & Cucumber Gin Fizz or put in a Pimms) • Herbs • Mint (for Mojitos, Pimms and Mint Julep) • Basil (use a few fresh leaves as a garnish) • Rosemary (for infusions, syrups or muddling) • Thyme (essential in an Orange & Thyme Mocktail) • Dill (to create a Dill & Cucumber Gin Fizz)

Method: • In a blender combine oranges, thyme and orange extract until smooth. Strain it thoroughly.

• Pour back into the blender and add coconut water, blend for 2 minutes.

With thanks to Squire’s, www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk.

They have a wide range of fruit plants and herbs, in-store or online.

23

High Weald Walking Festival 11-19th September This year will be the fourth year of the High Weald walking festival where experienced and knowledgeable guides offer inspiring walks suitable for all ages and abilities. This year, you can once again enjoy a themed walk covering local history, art, literature, wildlife or geology. There will also be a selection of self-guided routes available for those who prefer to explore under their own steam.

An extensive network of footpaths, bridleways and ancient byways makes this historic Wealden landscape a walker’s paradise. From avid ramblers and nature spotters to history buffs and photography fans, there’s something for everyone.

See the High Weald AONB website and sign-up for the newsletter which will give all details.

24

Join a national outpouring of love and raise a cuppa for the NHS

QVH Charity, the charity that supports our local Queen Victoria Hospital, is inviting people and businesses to join with them and take part in the nation’s biggest tea break to say thank you to the NHS. Following a year like no other, QVH Charity wants as many people as possible to get involved in a national outpouring of love (and tea) by hosting or taking part in your own NHS Big Tea party at 3pm, 5th July. Each event can be in person or virtual, with your local community, friends, family or at work, and is a chance to reflect and say

thank you for everything that NHS staff and volunteers have done and continue to do. And for QVH Charity, it is a way of not only saying thank you but raising money for Queen Victoria Hospital too.

Camilla Slattery, head of fundraising at QVH Charity said, “As our hospital continues to strive for innovation and excellence, there will always be a need for those added extras that can make all the difference to the lives of the patients we care for. By taking part in The Big NHS Tea and donating £5 towards our charity, or whatever you can afford, we can ensure we can continue to fund projects that make a real difference to both patients and staff. We hope our wonderful local community will get involved and join

us in saying thank you to our local NHS heroes.”

If you want to find out more about how you can take part in the NHS Big Tea Party or support QVH Charity please visit www.supportqvh.org Or to make a donation to QVH Charity visit our JustGiving page.

For more information please contact the QVH Press Office at qvh.communications@nhs. net.

NEWS FROM POOH CORNER engineer did some tests and the cameramen set themselves down in uncomfortable positions to get the best angles in our small tea shop. But everybody was in good spirits despite their gruelling filming schedule.

Last October Pooh Corner was delighted to be approached to be part of the 13th series of Great British Railway Journeys presented by Michael Portillo. The filming was done after we had closed the shop one Thursday afternoon to ensure strict BBC social distancing policies were met and we had a few moments with Michael to discuss the questions whilst the sound

Although we chatted for about thirty minutes on camera it was never going to be a case of seeing all the footage and we were genuinely delighted with getting to play a part on such a well-loved and established TV show.

Following the broadcast we were amazed at how many people had said they watched the show and had passed by Hartfield without stopping but wanted to pay the tea room a visit and learn more about the forest and Winnie the Pooh!

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MATT RATANA’S LEGACY East Grinstead Rugby Club’s Matt Ratana has left behind a legacy, felt keenly in East Grinstead and across the rugby world. This article brings local supporters upto-date with the latest news and the foundation started in his name: The Matt Ratana foundation was born late last year with East Grinstead based Sean Morgan at the helm and a fantastic team of people, all with connections to the rugby world.

At the time of the foundation’s inception, Matt’s partner Su Busby said: “Matt believed that creating community was

vital to individual growth and success. His work as a coach of all ages and as part of the police was a clear demonstration of this belief”.

In the latest sign of Matt’s lasting legacy, the Duke of Cambridge paid tribute © Met Police

Inspector Wil Ajose-Adeogun © Met Police The Commissioner welcomed The Duke of Cambridge to Croydon Custody Centre to pay respects to Sgt Matt Ratana © Met Police

to Matt in April by joining Cressida Dick to lay at wreath on a memorial bench saying: “I’ve wanted to come here for a while.” He met some former colleagues to pass on condolences, and held an emotional private meeting with Matt’s partner Su Busby.

Matt has also been honoured in other ways by the police force he served for so many years. Seven newborn Alsatian police puppies were named the ‘Ratana Litter’ in Matt’s memory. Named by Su, it is anticipated that the litter will start their ‘careers’ around August – and Su will be invited back to witness the special passing out parade when they ‘graduate’ next May. Matiu, Carter and Jonah were given to the males and Kora, Blu, Valentine and Whanau for the females.

As the police work on making sure Matt’s memory is secured, the foundation set up in his name aims to bring Matt’s community-minded ideas to reality. Sean explains:

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© MRRF

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“The first step was to apply for charitable status which is a long process. In the end we have attached ourselves to an existing charity, the Atlas Foundation. They support underprivileged children by bringing rugby to communities; a family member of a local East Grinstead team player, worked with Atlas so they had the contact. This meant Matt’s foundation could get off to a flying start.”

That included a short campaign, supported by TV Sports pundit and former player Lawrence Dallaglio as well as a host of other sports and TV stars. Dallaglio works for a company (Akuma) that helped produce over 4000 shirts at cost price for the Try4Matt campaign. It

involved people buying the shirts in return for a donation and then posting the picture on social media.

Sean’s in no doubt that the shirt campaign helped kick start the foundation: “it has truly gone international now, we’ve had help and offers of support from Zimbabwe to Ireland to Hungary.”

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© Nick Fox

together. The ladies team at East Grinstead Rugby club challenged themselves to cover the distance between East Grinstead and Matt’s birthplace in New Zealand”.

“Over the course of six weeks, people joined the challenge creating an online community to walk, run, canoe and cycle over 11 thousand miles. They were bonded by a common cause – Matt – and I know some of the members have never met each other. A former colleague of Matt’s in the Met did something similar, a virtual 10k run which over 3000 people signed up to do.”

More recently a team of police officers climbed Mount Snowdon in full riot gear, Sean explains: “Launching the foundation during a global pandemic had been quite a challenge as supporters have been unable to meet to fundraise in a traditional

© Nick Fox

Nick himself said, “Climbing Snowdon is something we have always wanted to do.

I had the idea to do it in full Level 2 gear to make it tougher. We decided to climb the PYG trail on Snowdon with an aim to complete it in five hours. The challenge hadn’t been attempted before… very pleased we managed to do it with a minute to spare and have already raised over £5000”.

28th August, the foundation are holding a huge charity event at London Irish’s training ground – where Matt was once a player.

They are fielding a team of ex-Irish and British Lions and ex-international players to play England Police. There will also be a ladies game featuring several international players. Proceeds from this event and initiatives such as The Snowdon climb will fund coaching roles at Croydon Rugby Club and Northamland Rugby in New Zealand. The roles at these clubs will be similar to the role Matt held while he was at East Grinstead Rugby Club and specifically designed to improve the lives of younger people in their communities.

Now lockdown has been lifted, people are able to get out and fundraise so on the bank holiday weekend of

You can donate and read more about the foundation at mattratanarugby. foundation

sense. Nick Fox and his team climbing Snowdon in full riot gear is a first! It was a very creative way to raise funds to help engage younger people from the wrong side of the tracks in life, into fulfilling and meaningful activities such as rugby. Matt would have been so proud and honoured by their efforts”.

31

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