Back Up Champion – Amersham Rotary Club

8 February 2021

We’re delighted to announce this month’s Back Up Champion, Amersham Rotary Club, who raised an incredible £3000 for Back Up last summer.

On 3rd December 2019 Derek Brown, President Elect of the Rotary club of Amersham, slipped while playing golf. The fall detached the quad muscles in both legs, which resulted in emergency surgery at Stoke Mandeville hospital. Due to a lack of available beds on the surgical wards, he was placed in the spinal centre. This experience showed him some of the everyday struggles of those with spinal injuries.

“I knew, although I was immobile at that point in time, things would return to normality following surgery but for those around me this would not be the case. However, the camaraderie and support they gave to each other, including me, was a humbling experience.

“My first hand experience of the stark reality of the everyday struggles they endure and overcome I will never forget.”

The ability to lift each others spirits when they faced their ‘blues days’ was incredible but his concern was what would happen when patients returned home to every day living. One morning, Derek was alone on the ward as the rest were up and about. Here he met someone who worked for Back Up who told him of the work we do in the spinal centres around the UK.

Derek was due to take up the presidency of the Rotary Club in Amersham in the summer of 2020 and historically the president is able to nominate one or two charities as a major recipient of the years fundraising activities. Then coronavirus struck, meaning events such as their an annual golf day fundraiser in September, were looking extremely unlikely. Miraculously, government restrictions eased and together with a change in format, increased safety measures and an amazing warm and sunny day, it went ahead. The management and staff at Harewood Downs Golf Club were amazing, and the 76 players were extremely generous resulting in a donation of £3000 being made to Back Up.

Following on from the event the club was delighted to have Paul Fairhurst, a Back Up ambassador, speak at a Rotary Club zoom meeting.

Thank you to all at Amersham Rotary Club for your fantastic fundraising efforts.

Interested in doing some fundraising for Back Up? Get in touch with Emily.