UPDATED: Billy Scoles' fund to play for England Deaf Rugby

Hi, apologies for asking for donations when everyone is so strapped for cash, but we're trying to raise funds for our 20-yr-old son from Northampton who has been asked to represent the England Rugby Deaf team on a tour of South Africa this year.

Billy has hearing aids and missed out on a rugby tour to SA previously, due to COVID cancelling all travel.

Billy's been playing rugby for Northampton Casuals since he was six, and the team went through a bereavement very young, and rugby was the glue that kept them together. He has two hearing aids but plays rugby every week and when he was asked to play for England Deaf we were enormously proud. England Deaf Rugby are a charity aimed at getting deaf and partially hearing men and women playing rugby. They have players from all over the country and to be involved does require some commitment both physically and financially, from all those involved. They plan to take a 25 strong men's and women's squad, along with 10 essential coaching management, interpreters and medical/physios staff to play South Africa Deaf. The tour will be bringing Deaf sportsmen and women together, who without opportunities such as these would not be fortunate enough to make their mark in history.

As a charity (charity number 1134194) EDR receive no funding and rely on solely on sponsorship, fundraising and memberships to pay for essentials that the players need, and also essentials for the organisation to exist and run.

We'd be hugely grateful for any donations, even just a couple of quid, to help Billy get to South Africa.

Thanks for reading, and please do share!

Hilary and Steve.