Scrummy coffee thanks to UON rugby team donation

The doctors, nurses and health care assistants working at the Northampton General Hospital’s (NGH) A&E department can now get a scrummy coffee as they work, thanks to a donation of a coffee machine by the University’s Men’s Rugby Union team.

As the teams’ dreams of a commemorative kit for the annual Varsity rugby game dwindled, thanks to the outbreak of the coronavirus, they decided to do something good with money refunded to them.

Loosehead prop Neill Friedman, who is currently studying Sports and Exercise Science at the University of Northampton, said: “I’m really pleased I’ve been part of this donation to the amazing NGH team, they deserve such credit for all they do to support the UON men’s rugby union team, and the wider rugby community in Northampton.”

The team chose A&E because several its players have been treated in the department in the past year.

Neill continued: “As a team we decided that we wanted to use this money to do something nice for the doctors, nurses and health care assistants who so often patch us up after a game, and have been working harder than ever during the pandemic, that we thought we would help them to keep going with the donation of a coffee machine.

“I’m a mature student in my 50’s, and I’ve been playing rugby in Northamptonshire for many years, I have accumulated a long list of rugby injuries that have sent me to A&E for treatment. In 2010 I suffered a prolapsed common peroneal nerve. I spent many weeks in hospital and was told I would never walk without a walking stick again. I vowed that I would be back on the pitch, and 362 days later, I played five minutes in a game, and the following week a full 80 minutes of rugby. My passion and the fantastic care of everyone at NGH got me back on the pitch.

“Now I’m proud to be playing rugby for the University, competing across the county in the British Universities & Colleges Sport league with my fellow students. It’s been great to donate this coffee machine in the week that Government have given the green light to getting back to rugby training. I can’t wait to get back to playing, hopefully for many more years.”

A spokesperson from Northampton General Hospital, said: “We are extremely grateful for the support, generosity and kindness that we’ve received from members of our local community towards our staff over the past few weeks”.