THE Steve Prescott Foundation affirmed itself as one of rugby league's leading charitable supporters after handing over a huge cheque to the new president of the RFL.
At the RFL President's Ball in Leeds on Saturday, January 14, members of the Steve Prescott Foundation gifted the RFL's president for 2023, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, with a cheque worth £50,000.
Tasked with promoting rugby league throughout the year, the Chorley-born Speaker of the House of Commons will direct the money towards the Rugby League Benevolent Fund; which provides wide-ranging support to players who have suffered life-changing injuries.
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Following Steve Prescott's fundraising efforts after his cancer diagnosis in 2006, the Rugby League Benevolent Fund is a charity the Foundation has continually raised money for.
With an additional focus on The Christie Cancer Hospital, huge fundraising efforts such as the now-annual St Helens 10k, Everest base camp challenges and Kilimanjaro climbs have been completed in Steve's memory - raising more than £800,000 in the process.
Despite the lingering difficulties from the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, people in St Helens helped the Steve Prescott Foundation to raise £100k for the two charities in 2022.
Martin Blondel, general manager of the Foundation, said: "Last year was a difficult one because covid was still having an effect and then you had the cost of living crisis.
"So we're really proud to raise £100,000 and we couldn't do it without the support of great people and the people in St Helens."
Organising a series of unique challenges to retain fundraising streams, the Foundation's "main event" in 2023 will be a hike up Mount Toukbal in Morrocco, which will be followed by the "first ever game of rugby league in the Sahara Desert".
Martin added: "It takes a lot of organising but we like to come up with unique events to keep it as fresh as possible and keep people interested in what we're doing.
"It was Steve's wish to get people as fit and active as possible so we get to do that [...] and support the greatest sport in the world [as well]."
To donate to the Steve Prescott Foundation, you can visit their fundraising page here.
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