16 June 2020 News
A cash boost worth £150,000 over three years has been pledged to the Motor Neurone Disease Association by the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, led by former top flight footballer Stephen Darby and his close friend Chris Rimmer.
The pair formed the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation after the former Liverpool, Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers player was diagnosed with MND in 2018. British Forces veteran Chris had received the same diagnosis three years previously.
Now the Foundation has announced a three-year partnership with the MND Association, pledging £50,000 a year towards the Association’s care grants programme.
The first £250 of each eligible grant made by the Association to a person with MND will be funded by the Foundation’s generous contribution. The remainder of the grant will be funded by the Association. Grants could help pay for the purchase or rent of equipment such as stair lifts or feeding aids. They could also help towards the cost of home conversions which allow people with MND to stay in their own homes for longer; for instance, a wet room, through-floor lift or external ramps.
Sally Light, Chief Executive at the MND Association said:
“We are extremely grateful to Stephen and Chris, their fellow Trustees and supporters for their generosity as we embark on this new partnership. The support we will be able to provide as a result will make a tangible difference to the lives of people with MND, their families and carers both now and in years to come.
“MND is a devastating disease which affects every aspect of a person’s life. By choosing to deal with their diagnosis in the public eye Stephen and Chris have helped to raise so much awareness of this disease among the public, while also bringing in valuable support and donations to help thousands of others in the same position.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Foundation to explore further ways of widening our partnership to benefit people affected by MND.”