Yorkshire Water rugby match to tackle Third World clean water crisis

16/08/1999

Rugby-playing fundraisers from Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency are teaming up to take on Bradford Salem in a pre-season warm up match this Saturday (August 21) to raise money for much needed water and sanitation projects in the Third World.

Organisers of the game, being held at Salem's Shay Lane ground in Heaton, are keeping their fingers crossed for a decent crowd who will be able to watch 80-minutes of "champagne" rugby at the same time as helping to swell the charity WaterAid's coffers.

This is the latest in a string of events Yorkshire Water has either held or taken part in to raise money for the organisation. Last month forty employees, together with family and friends raised thousands-of-pounds by climbing six British and Irish mountains in under 72 hours.

Yorkshire Water revenue officer David Burbage-Atter, a Salem regular who on this occasion will be siding with the YW/EA team, said: "Even though this game is for charity I know for a fact it will be extremely competitive. Spectators will be able to watch what I call 'champagne' rugby - a game that flows well."

And Mr Burbage-Atter is warning Salem that the YW/EA team - who for the first time will be wearing a strip sponsored by Arbre Renewable Energy - will not be a pushover. Last year some of the team took part in a Water Aid Rugby Sevens competition and made it through to the semi-finals.

The event starts at 2pm and the kick-off is at 2.30pm. Other features include a bouncy castle, barbecue and bar. Raffle tickets will be sold as part of the programme and one of the prizes will be a YW/EA rugby shirt.