A 20-year-old woman is undertaking 12 hikes in 12 months to raise funds for the RFU Injured Players Foundation (IPF) after her father was injured playing rugby.
John Baker was injured during a tackle in a rugby game in November, causing him to be paralysed from the chest down. Now, his daughter Georgina is embarking on a hike every month this year in her father’s honour and to raise money for the IPF, who have supported the family since the accident.
Georgina said: “Hiking is very special to me and my family. We’ve always been very active, and my mum organises charity walks every year.
“The IPF have offered us so much support; they’ve visited dad and helped him understand what his life will be like now. They’ve also helped our family navigate how we’ll need to adapt to our new future and helped us to remember that he’s still our dad, he hasn’t changed.
“The charity also put my dad in contact with other people who have had similar injuries to him, which has helped to reassure us all that life is going to be okay.”
John has been a part of Banbury RFC since he was 15 years old as a player and a coach. Georgina added: “My dad has grown up watching, playing and coaching rugby. He coached my brother’s team for the 18 years and now they’re a group of lads who I now consider my brothers.
“For the past four years, he's been the Head Coach of the Banbury 2s. He always wants to help people, and rugby has given him a way he can do it.”
Having already completed two of the hikes and raised £16,500 so far, the next holds particular significance as it coincides with Georgina’s 21st and her father’s 54th birthday, as well as the final day of fixtures in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
Georgina will be joined by around 45 Banbury rugby club members and friends, including her older Sean, on the hike and the group will be undertaking a night hike of Snowdon and will watch the sunrise at the summit.
She said: “My dad has supported both myself and my family our whole lives and now it’s my turn to give back to him and to those who are going through the same thing.”
To donate to Georgina’s fundraiser, visit her JustGiving page
