Falcons Support Stay Strong Stu
Earlier today Newcastle Falcons met with Tynedale RFC player Stu Ridley to show their support for the Stay Strong Stu campaign, and as Friday’s game against Bath Rugby approaches, the club are asking fans to help get behind the campaign.
Stay Strong Stu is in honour of Hexham-born rugby player Stu Ridley, 25, who has played for Tynedale since the age of ten.
Weeks after making his first team debut for the National League 1 side Stu was delivered the devastating news that he had an inoperable brain tumour and given just months to live.
Determined to live life to the full, Stu’s has approached the situation with his typical courage and positivity, having been described by teammates as an absolute inspiration.
Friends, family and people from all over the world are backing the Stay Strong Stu campaign with a website, Facebook page, Twitter page, while a secondary campaign called Humour Tumour has also been set up to raise awareness.
Having carried out their pre-match team run in campaign t-shirts this morning, the Falcons – many of whom have played alongside Stu at Tynedale as part of the two clubs’ dual registration partnership – met with Stu and posed for a photograph with him at the centre of the squad.
Players and coaches will don their campaign t-shirts again tomorrow for their pre-match warm up during the game which will be televised live on BT Sport. Falcons fans are also being encouraged to join the club’s efforts in supporting Stu as Tynedale players will be on hand around the ground selling t-shirts and wristbands to raise money for Stay Strong Stu.
Since the campaign began thousands of well-wishes and comments have been flooding in and Stu has received the best wishes from the likes of Stuart Lancaster and Scotland International and former Tynedale team mate Tim Swinson.
As a member of the Falcons’ Club Connections Programme and one of our dual registration teams, Newcastle Falcons want to show their support for Stu and are encouraging fans to get behind the Stay Strong Stu campaign wherever possible. T shirts will be available around Kingston Park Stadium tomorrow at a cost of £10 while wrist bands cost just £2.
For more information on the campaign, visit [www.facebook.com/staystrongstu][1].
[1]: http://www.facebook.com/staystrongstu
