Inspiring and Supporting young people seriously injured through sport
The Foundation is backed by an enormously active and supportive patron and host of ambassadors that help spread the word about the work that we do.
Mike Tindall MBE is patron of The Matt Hampson Foundation and our biggest advocate. Former England rugby captain Mike has been a friend of Matt’s and a supporter of the charity since its beginnings in 2011, becoming patron in 2014 and officially opening the Get Busy Living centre in 2018 (he even got his own official plaque by the door!)
Mike has been capped 75 times by England and was part of the World Cup winning team in 2003. Mike is married to Zara Phillips, the eldest granddaughter of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh, and the pair share two young daughters. Since retiring from rugby he has featured on a number of reality TV programmes including Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and The Jump.
Mike is a very active patron and tireless advocate of the Foundation. His annual charity golf day raises valuable funds the Foundation and is an event in our annual calendar that’s always hugely popular.
Mike says: "It was a massive honour when Matt asked me to be patron of the Foundation. The way he has conducted himself since his injury in 2005, and the number of people he has helped is remarkable.
“You can never imagine what it is like to suffer an injury like Matt's or any of the beneficiaries, but to see them all out there getting busy living is inspiring. It's the power of wanting to move on and live your life and you just have to be in awe of that. I'm proud to be part of this charity and I'm excited to see where we can take it in the coming years"
Jim is a back-to-back winner of the European Trophy and Aviva Premiership winner with Saracens and retired in 2017 having just lifter his second Champions Trophy.
He is now a co-presenter of the Rugby Pod, a hilarious podcast discussing the game and the antics on and off the field.
Jim has been a supporter of the Foundation for many years and is a regular attendee of Foundation events, He is often found on stage regaling stories of his days in the Leicester changing rooms that are not to be missed!
The all-time leading points scorer in the Aviva Premiership enjoyed a career in professional rugby lasting over 15 years. Andy is now a commentator, pundit and co-presenter of the Rugby Pod with fellow ambassador Jim Hamilton.
Andy has been a dedicated supporter of the Matt Hampson Foundation and in 2017 pledged to come out of retirement for any club that could raise or donate £10,000 to the Matt Hampson Foundation. A feat completed by the London Cornish Rugby Club in May 2017.
Gregg Wallace is a writer, media personality and former green grocer. He is best known for Co-presenting MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef : The Professionals on BBC2 and BBC1. He is a massive rugby fan and met Matt on numerous occasions at games and accepted the role of an Ambassador for the Foundation in 2012. Gregg is a regular at Foundation events and has provided many auction lots over the years.
Alex's strong performances for Saracens over the past few seasons have thrust him into the spotlight at International level where he is seen as being part of England's bright future. Alex is happy to play at full back or fly half and has been representing England U20's and the Saxons after coming through the ranks of the Saracens academy. Although they share the same name Alex is no relation to Leicester Tiger Andy Goode. Alex is a big supporter of Hambo and has attended events in support of the Foundation, 'I hope to continue to assist the Foundation in whatever way I can', he says.
The eldest of seven rugby playing brothers (five of whom have played for Leicester!), Freddie played for Tigers and Samoa whom he represented at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Freddie also played rugby league for Halifax and St Helens before returning to the union code with Cardiff and Biarritz, now retired, Freddie represents a number of players through his own company as an agent. He says, 'I'm happy to do all I can to further Matt's work both here in the UK and other places around the globe where care for injured sportsmen and women is not as advanced'.
The youngest of the rugby-playing Tuilagi brothers, Manusamoa enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2011. Named Tigers Young Player of the Year by supporters and team-mates after scoring eight tries in his first season of senior rugby, Manu also picked up the Rugby Players Association Young Player of the Year award. The upward curve continued with a try on his England debut in the summer 2011 win over Wales. He then secured a place in the Rugby World Cup squad; Manu continues to be a potent threat and has recently returned to the England set-up after injuries and strong performances for Tigers. Manu states, 'I want to do my best to help as an Ambassador for Hambo's Foundation, I'm proud to be associated with the good work it is carrying out at home and abroad'.
Leicester, England and British Lion, Tom has been at the top of his game and would have received many more caps to date had it not been for a series of knee injuries that have kept him out of contention. Now fully fit, Tom is back to his rampaging best. Tom has received many accolades for his play at blind-side flanker but he is also competent at both open-side and second row making him a truly versatile asset. A well-balanced footballer, he is said to be amongst the quickest of players at Leicester and will be entertaining Premiership and International crowds for some time to come. Tom says, 'I am enormously proud to be able to assist Hambo as an Ambassador of the Foundation'.
England and Leicester scrum half, Ben has been delighting the Welford Road faithful since his full first team debut in 2007 against Argentina and he was the youngest Tiger to play in the Premiership when he came off the bench at Bristol that same year. Ben was instrumental in Tigers defeat of the Springboks in 2009. His speed of thought and action makes him a great asset and he is a real threat to European and International defences alike. Ben, has enormous respect for the work carried out by Matt and the Foundation, 'It is great to know that there is an organisation to whom the families of those badly injured through sport can turn to for advice and assistance and I am happy to do all I can to help by being an Ambassador.'
Ex Leicester Tiger and England International and British Lion, Harry's rugby career was cut short in 2010 when a debilitating knee injury meant early retirement from the game. At the time Harry's star was shining brightly in the rugby firmament, he was first choice scrum half for England and was destined to be so for some time. Harry says, 'Hambo's a great bloke and an inspiration to people like me whose careers have been cut short through injury, I am delighted to be able to assist him in the great work of his Foundation by being an Ambassador.'
The straight-talking prop for Leicester Tigers has been a big supporter of the Foundation for years now. A staple of the Leicester Tigers front row, Cole has been a first choice for England for many years too. In the Summer of 2017, Cole went on his second tour with the British and Irish Lions and officially became an ambassador of the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Dylan was born in Rotorua, New Zealand and moved to the UK where, in 2000 he began playing his club rugby for Crowborough in Sussex. He was soon picked for Sussex and English age group teams. After a spell at Worcester Warriors Dylan moved to Northampton Saints in 2005 and was made the youngest club captain in the Guinness Premiership by coach Jim Mallinder. Despite still being in his mid-twenties, Dylan is very much one of Northampton's senior players and has already passed a century of appearances for them. After playing for England U21 in the 2005 World Cup, Dylan was selected for the Saxons in 2007 and finally awarded an England cap in 2008. Dylan has also now cemented his place in the England team where he has been first choice hooker for a while. During the tour of South Africa in June 2012, Dylan skippered England for the first time in the third and final Test - a 14-all draw at Port Elizabeth.
England flanker James has recently left Stade Francais and will be returning to Wasps at the start of the 2012-13 season after a brief sojourn in Japan. Windsor born James played in the same U21 England team as Matt and was packing down behind him during a training session at Franklyn Gardens when Matt's injury occurred. A good friend of Matt, James was shocked and upset by the events, 'Being there when Matt was injured has made it very personal for me, it was also upsetting to think that Matt would no longer be a part of the set-up with England, particularly as we were really starting to gel as a unit. Hambo is a great mate and I am impressed by the work he has done since his injury, especially his efforts in setting up the Foundation, I want to be able to help and being an Ambassador allows me to assist and show support for Matt's work'.
Stuart burst onto the county scene with Leicestershire in 2005, he studied at Oakham School and is the son of former Nottinghamshire and England opening batsman Chris. He was picked for England Under-19s in 2005 and fast-tracked into the England A team at the age of 19, he made his One-Day International debut in August 2006 and finished as Leicestershire's leading wicket-taker in the county season. He joined Notts, his home county in 2008 the year he helped England claim an ODI series win in Sri Lanka and made his Test debut later in the winter. Stuart played a central role in the Ashes triumph in 2009. He is now a vital part of the England attack over all forms of the game and is England T20 Captain. Stuart is delighted to be an Ambassador of the Foundation and says, 'I am inspired by Hambo and the work that his Foundation is carrying out'.
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