RedHatPhoto.com and the Chris Kokta Trust

By Claire Jones
December 14 2009

I believe I am one of the luckiest people associated with our great club as every match I have the opportunity to take photos of the men in GB&G. One of the reasons I set up RedHatPhoto.com was to use the photos to raise funds for charity - in the past year thanks to your generosity I have raised nearly £1,000. So I am delighted to announce this season I am supporting the Chris Kokta Trust.

Buy photos from RedHatPhoto.com and support young people in rugby union

All the proceeds from my work will be going to this great cause - every penny you donate goes to the Trust. You can buy any Saints match photo for £10 for a full sized digital image and £7 per image for any minis rugby photo from a Saints Community run tournament. All the photos can be found at RedHatPhoto.com

And for Christmas don't forget the Saints 2010 calendar - all my fees will be going to the Trust. You can buy the calendar at the club shop online until the 18th December.

The Chris Kokta Memorial Trust has been set up to help support young people through the game of Rugby Football. Sport in general has great benefits to both physical health and also contributes to a sense of self worth and achievement. Rugby can offer opportunities for young people to become team players and to gain leadership skills. This can help them learn to become responsible and healthy young adults of the future.

Northampton Saints RFC is at the forefront of the development of the Rugby Union's Academy and Community programmes. The Club works with schools, clubs and local teams, and also with some young people who have difficulty remaining within conventional education. The Chris Kokta Memorial Trust is proud to be associated with these schemes. It is hoped that young players will become ambassadors for their sport, and their clubs and schools, and take pride in themselves and their achievements.

Chris Kokta was born in Kettering in 1948; he lived in Desborough and went to Kettering Grammar School where he started playing Rugby. He then went to the University of Wales and later worked in Information Technology. He played for Kettering Grammar School, Kettering RFC, teams at the University of Wales and in South Africa and finally for Milton Keynes RFC. He was a lifelong Rugby enthusiast and shared this with his second wife, Carolyn. Together they supported the Northampton Saints and both believed in the support for young players to make the grade as club and national players. Chris died in 2004 and Carolyn decided that the Trust in Chris's name would be something he would be proud of.

To date these are the Trust's impressive achievements:

Senior Academy:

Grants: 2005-6 Tom Powell, 2006-7 Joe Gray, 2007-8 James Cannon to aid their rehab from injury and support for university fees (as we support the all round development of the lads)

Junior Academy:

2007-8 Liam Neale and Nick Greenhalgh, 2008-9 financial help for additional nutrition to 3 Junior Academy lads at Moulton College. Chris Kokta Award for Outstanding Achievement established 2009 for both Academies, first winner 2008-9: Tom Crozier

Community awards:

2006 Financial support for Weston Favell Junior School, 60 children received coaching from Saints staff paid for by the Trust. 2007 three bursaries for lads in the community for the Saints and Army residential coaching course at Bassingbourne

So please do take a moment to peruse the photos from any match and if you like one, remember every penny you donate will be supporting our great club's future.

Many thanks, Claire Jones and Carolyn Kokta

RedHatPhoto.com and the Chris Kokta Trust

Posted by: ComeOnYouSaints.com (IP Logged)

Date: 14/12/2009 22:33

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.