North Dorset Rugby Football Club (NDRFC) have taken Vivienne Worrall under their wing to
teach her to play Touch rugby.
Vivienne Worrall and her partner John Curtis, from Tisbury, took part in a World Record
Attempt to play the highest game of rugby in the world. They set off in April and trekked to
Advanced Base camp in Tibet to attempt two records - one full contact and one-touch rugby.
John had played rugby in the past but said he is quite rusty and not been on a pitch for some
time. Vivienne had not played rugby before, at least hadn’t until one Sunday last year. Invited and
supported by coaches George Cordle, Colin Fricker and Mark Dineley and Mini’s chairman
David Mounde, Vivienne joined the Under 10’s and Under 9’s for her first coaching session.
She said she was quite nervous and even wearing rugby boots was new to her. However, she
committed to learning as much as she could and joined in with the training. Vivienne
confessed that it wasn’t as easy as watching it on the screen, and keeping behind the ball
proved quite difficult for her! She has the utmost respect for all her team members who played
well despite having a total beginner on their team. As the training continued, Vivienne
grew in confidence and even scored a try or two! Her team showed her respect and involved
her very much in the game. “It was clear they had an understanding of the game and were
committed to having fun as well as conducting themselves in a sporting manner. I am very
grateful to them all for allowing me to join in and to give me tips along the way”. Vivienne and
John were awarded “Players of the Week” and presented with club beanies. They will be
wearing them with pride on Everest.
George Cordle commented “All the children I spoke with, said how much they enjoyed
playing touch rugby and having Vivienne and John with them – it was a fun change from the
full contact which they normally play! The girls and boys all went home having played an
important part in preparing Viv and John for their Everest world record-breaking challenge and
we look forward to training with them again”.
NDRFC are proud to support John and Vivienne as they raise funds for the children’s
charity Wooden Spoon. Wooden Spoon help disabled children and young people facing
disadvantage. They provide funds for projects throughout the UK and Ireland. The LMAX
Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge is set to raise at least £200,000 from their world record
attempt. Vivienne and John have a personal target of £20,000 which they hope most will be
spent in the Dorset and Wiltshire area, helping Riding for the Disabled and the provision of
wheelchairs and surfboards for the use on the Dorset coast. You can help to raise this money
by donating directly at www.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnCurtis15 or text EVERESTVIV20 to
700085 to give £20 (or 10 for £10, 5 for £5).
Vivienne and John were made honorary members of the NDRFC and trained a few more time before they departed.
Wooden Spoon is the children’s charity of rugby, funding life-changing projects across the UK
and Ireland to support children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage.
They fund a range of projects, which are not just rugby focused, supporting approximately 70
projects, a year including respite and medical treatment centres, sensory rooms, specialist
playgrounds and community-based programmes. Since their founding in 1983, they have
distributed in excess of £26 million to more than 700 projects, helping over 1 minion disabled
and disadvantaged children.
Their rugby heritage gives them their core values of passion, integrity, teamwork and fun,
working closely with the wider rugby community, the values drive the ethos and spirit in
everything they do.
www.woodenspoon.org.uk
The LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge is set to take place across 24 days (13 April to
6 May) and will see 26 challengers battle acclimatisation and heights of 6,500 metres to play
the highest game of full-contact rugby and the highest game of mixed rugby in history - all in
support of Wooden Spoon.
www.everestrugby.org.uk
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