HIGH & DRY
FUNDRAISER TO CLIMB MOUNTAIN WITH APPLIANCE ON HIS BACK
A DEWSBURY man will scale the heights of Snowdon to raise funds for his local rugby club – with a tumble dryer strapped to his back.
Dad-of-three Tommy Dunford, 32, will carry the machine from the starting point of Penceunant Isaf up to the highest point of the tallest mountain in Wales on Sunday, June 23.
The former rugby player is taking on the daredevil challenge to raise money for the club he has played for all of his life - Dewsbury Celtic RLFC. He said: “I just want to give something back to a club that has given me so much.”
Tommy, who survived childhood cancer, was told by doctors he should not participate in any contact sport at a young age but his love for rugby couldn’t be contained. He said Dewsbury Celtic has been a massive part of his life from being eight years old.
And while he may have now hung up his boots, he is still very much involved with the club as a coach for his eldest son’s team, the Under 8s. All three of his children play for the club, which he says brings him an “immense amount of joy and a sense of community, friendship and family.”
Tommy says the clubhouse at Dewsbury Celtic needs a major renovation but estimations for the proposed plans are coming in at around £80,000, which sparked an idea.
He said: “The clubhouse is in desperate need of a renovation, it’s been the same since I was a kid. Dewsbury Celtic RLFC has given me so much, it’s been a massive part of my life.
“After surviving childhood cancer I was told I should never play contact sport again but I just couldn’t stay away. Rugby league is just too good to give up. I had to have a kidney and part of my diaphragm removed as a result of the cancer, along with multiple other procedures and operations but nothing was going to stop me.
“Dewsbury Celtic becomes such a part of everyone’s life and offers a place for people, both children and adults alike, to come together and be a part of something.
“I am hoping to do my part and raise as much money as I can for the rugby club so intrinsically linked to my childhood memories.”
Tommy described how the clubhouse needs to be a place for kids to sit back with their mates after the game and enjoy food and good company. He has plans for a snooker table or some televisions so that it becomes more than just a clubhouse and “somewhere people actually want to be”.
He continued: “Anything I can do to help them I will try and so I thought why not try and challenge myself and do this, I’ve got quite a vast medical history, I understand that it’s going to be hard and I need to train but it’s something I’m willing to do to give these kids what they deserve.
“The training is pretty simple, I’m basically walking around the town where I live with a dryer on my back! I’m obviously getting some strange looks and people making comments but that doesn’t really bother me. The longest I’ve done so far with the dryer is 7km.
“I’ve played all my life so I do have a good base level of fitness but this is certainly going to be a challenge.
“It’s going to be seven or eight hours walking with the dryer on my back so I’m taking some of the lads with me to inspire me and distract me, I’m actually really looking forward to it.
“It means a lot to me to be able to give back to the club, not so much for me, but more what I can do for the kids.
“I can’t wait to see it all done and see the kids playing and enjoying it knowing that I’ve hopefully been able to contribute towards that. Whatever I’ve got to go through will be worth it to see that.”
So far Tommy has managed to raise £535 of his £5,000 target.
It’s going to be seven or eight hours walking with the dryer on my back
Tommy Dunford