As part of his involvement with the 2014 Nordoff Robbins Rugby Dinner, last night Ugo Monye brought Harlequins team mates Chris Robshaw & Nick Easter to a client's family BBQ.
This is the kind of magic that happens at a VU event. The story unfolds as follows: Ugo donates a prize of '3 rugby boys will come to your house to cook dinner for 8 guests'. Lovely client bids, raises lots of money, client bumps into England captain Chris Robshaw in gents toilets, reveals that he's a 'bit of a Chef' and says, “If I do the cooking, will you come along, and do you mind if i invite a few more people?”
6 months later, Ugo, Nick and Chris turn up at a beautiful house in Surrey where marquees, pig roasts, chocolate fountains and temporary bars have been erected and 60 family and friends are enjoying a summer BBQ. British summertime mind, where we'd just suffered the coldest Bank Holiday ever….! Anyway, spirits were high, the mood was jovial and the boys got stuck in. 5 year old George discovered that when you have a 6'3″ England No 8 throwing a ball your way, then actually, “maybe I am quite good at catching”, 15 year old girls can go back to school with photos on their phone casually telling their friends this is who they hung out with last week, and 2 brave boys got to Facebook post their #ALSIceBucketChallenge video featuring Ugo, Nick and Chris pouring the water over their shivering heads.
The boys showed off their handling and football skills, practiced penalty shoot-outs, passing drills and keepy-ups with the kids, signed a sackload of rugby balls, posed for a million selfies and inspired a dozen or so families with boys and girls who have learned a little bit about the life of a professional sportsman.
The client wrote us a lovely email today:
Just a quick note to say a big thank you to you and the boys for such a great evening and trust you got back OK. Everyone had a fantastic time both adults and children alike. The boys were so down to earth and made everyone feel included.Please pass on our sincere thanks and wish them all the very best for the forthcoming season.
These are the kind of events that make our dinners so special. Not only by these players donating prizes like this, have VU Ltd helped raise a staggering £1,296,282.50 for Nordoff Robbins over the last 20 years, we're putting people in touch with sports celebrities who offer their time to perhaps make that bit of a difference. Now that's grass roots rugby.
On January 14th 2015, we will celebrate the outstanding career of Nick Easter at the Nordoff Robbins Rugby Dinner. Rugby royalty will be out in force, and the best way to find yourself in with a chance to get involved with an experience like this one is to be there. Join us for a fantastic evening of fun, rugby tales and music, digging deep and giving generously along the way, and you might just create a family memory to last a lifetime. Tickets and tables available on the VU website
Thanks a million to Ugo Monye, Nick Easter and Chris Robshaw – legends of the game and true gentlemen.