Help the Zambia 7s side to the Commonwealth Games

Hi, I am Bobby, I am fundraising for the Zambia 7s rugby team...

As a result of reaching the semi-finals of the Africa 7s back in April, the Zambia men’s 7’s rugby team qualified for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. As a result, the team became the first sport to successfully achieve the honour of representing the country at the prestigious commonwealth event, which starts on the 29th of July 2022.

I am super proud that my son, Arun Watkins, is a member of the squad that played for Zambia in the Africa 7s and hopes to represent the team in Birmingham.

The team will be well looked after by Zambia rugby. We believe that we can make the trip a bit more comfortable if we can generate some support for the lads by way of some small things that can make a difference to their experience. I am therefore putting a bit of energy into leading a parent’s movement to put fuel in the team's bus to Birmingham.

I am talking about the type of boots, data access, food comfort that players from other countries might just take as a given.

Therefore, we are looking to raise £6,000 to cover items from £20 to £150 for each player.

For instance, when the players arrive in the UK, they need to be able to communicate back home. An unlimited data SIM from the UK will cost about £20, and we want to have it available for all players when they land. Similarly, a hygiene pack of bathroom products will make their stay more comfortable; we expect to spend £30 per player.

We are also keen to ensure they are proud of their footwear on and off the pitch. We budget £100 per pair of trainers and £150 for great boots. This team can be competitive with the other 15 in the tournament; having the wrong boots cannot be why they don’t succeed. We are looking to ensure that a small amount of off-field clothes are available, which we budget £100 for since the team will have been issued with Zambia outfits. Finally, we want to provide a budget for Deliveroo of £100 per player. They will be fed whilst they are here, but a small allowance for the comfort of being able to order what they want to eat from time to time would be awesome.

Please consider donating whatever amount you are comfortable with. Even £20 as you can see, will help towards something tangible for the team.