Sam Tomkins teams up with Skirlaugh to help tackle motor neurone disease

Picture by Rémi Vignaud/Catalans Dragons/SWpix.com - Sam Tomkins
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Two-time Man of Steel winner Sam Tomkins has been supporting local community club Skirlaugh RLFC as they help tackle motor neurone disease with tickets selling fast for a lunchtime fund-raising event on November 10 in which he will speak.

MND awareness has been raised in recent times by the late Rob Burrow and the rugby league family - and it is an issue that has affected Skirlaugh. Coach Craig Eskrett - guest of honour at the event - was diagnosed with MND just last year and the club is raising funds to support local people affected and to help a research facility at Sheffield University. The event will support The L6ve Life Foundation, which helps take on the disease, and was founded by former Skirlaugh captain Lee Newton, who was diagnosed with MND in 2013 and died in 2017 after raising more than £200,000.

The event, open to the public, featuring Tomkins, is one that the club is looking to sell out. Skirlaugh was founded 45 years ago with current Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara being a founder player before moving on to Hull FC and starting a professional career that saw him become England head coach. He was approached to become club president last year and agreed, lending his support to them. Tomkins quickly agreed when asked about being at the event.

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Simon Kilby, commercial manager for Skirlaugh, said: "It shows how rugby league is very much a family sport."

Tickets and more information for the event, which includes a three-course meal, are available by contacting him at simonkilby@hotmail.com

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