FOUNDATION TEAM SPREADS STRENGTH OF SUPPORT
The Matt Hampson Foundation is taking its support for young people following life-changing injury into new areas of the country with the launch of two more satellite hubs.
The Foundation provides physical and emotional support for anyone suffering serious injury or disability from participation in all levels of sporting activity, offering neuro-physiotherapy, specialised personal training, wellbeing, mentorship and practical advice from its headquarters at the Get Busy Living Centre near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.
A first regional hub was created in 2023 in partnership with Foundation beneficiary Drew Graham at Gym Possible, an accessible gym in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.
Further satellites have now been added in Essex and London to take support to even more beneficiaries in other areas of the country.
The Essex hub at Alt Movement in Grays and the London hub at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park host small-group training sessions every Friday (12.00-1.00pm), providing an opportunity to train, connect and be part of the Foundation’s inspiring community to anyone who has been seriously injured in sport.
Inspirational work
Matt Hampson experienced life-changing injury of his own as a member of the England Under-21 rugby squad in 2005, being paralysed from the neck down and breathing with the aid of a ventilator. But rather than lament what he’d lost, he instead decided to focus on the things he could still do and to ‘get busy living’.
He created the Foundation to provide the support needed for beneficiaries to find fresh purpose, to return to sport, work or education, and to ‘get busy living’ again. He received an OBE in 2011 for his inspirational work and opened the Foundation’s unique Get Busy Living Centre in 2018. Just seven years on, there are plans to extend its facilities while also developing a satellite network around the country.
Announcing the introduction of two new hubs, Matt said: “We want everyone to know that there is somewhere to turn for support after serious injury.
“Rehabilitation can be a long-term process and, while we are very proud of what we do at the Get Busy Living Centre, we know it is not always possible for beneficiaries to visit us regularly from other parts of the country.
“The satellite hubs are so important in taking our support further and I’m delighted to welcome on board everyone at our new partners in the South-East of the country.
“Their teams already do such a great job in increasing accessibility to gym training and adaptive fitness, and we look forward to working closely with them to encourage even more beneficiaries to ‘get busy living’ with the support we can offer between us.”
