GHRFC Rugby Scholarship and Bursary awarded

The awards of the 2013/14 Emeka Egwuatu Rugby Football Bursaries and Maxine Hallworth Scholarship were announced today/earlier. The bursaries and scholarship are awards made annually to student rugby players beginning their studies at the College and who represent Guy’s Hospital R.F.C. Recognized as the oldest rugby club in the world, having been founded in 1843 - and itself a founding member of the RFU - the Guy’s Hospital R.F.C historically represents Guy’s Hospital which today forms part of the College’s School of Medicine.

This year the award of the Emeka Egwuatu Rugby Football Bursary has been made to first year medical student James Bramley. James previously represented his home county of Devon prior to being accepted to read Medicine at King’s. An accomplished sailor who has also competed for national selection, he will now receive a bursary of £1000, enabling him to further his rugby talents whilst studying medicine. The Emeka Egwuatu Rugby Football Bursaries were established to encourage and support student players who are enhancing the activities of the RFC or who play at a higher representative level. The bursaries are funded by a generous gift from Professor David Cooper and named after Professor Emeka Egwuatu FRCOG who played for Guy’s Hospital R.F.C. between 1958 and 1964 and went on to a distinguished career in obstetrics and gynaecology and medical education in his homeland of Nigeria. They recognise the contribution that Emeka made to Guys Hospital RFC when he was a student at Guys in the 1950s and 1960s.

Meanwhile the Maxine Hallworth scholarship, worth £750, was awarded to adult nursing student Thomas Knight. The scholarship, made possible by Dr Terence Gibson (Guy’s, Medicine, 1966 & President of the GKT Rugby Club), is named in memory of his daughter Maxine, who was a keen rugby supporter. It recognises the efforts of an individual who has demonstrated merit both on the rugby pitch and in their studies prior to and during their first term of university, and aims to allow the selected student to continue excelling whilst at King’s, both on the pitch and off. A mature student, Thomas, previously studied History at Lancaster University, representing the institution at 1st XV level and gaining coaching qualifications in the process. Fully reflective of the values of the scholarship, Thomas has expressed a desire to give back to the Guy’s Hospital R.F.C community and it is likely that the award will be used to fund a further coaching level qualification.

Commenting on the new rugby scholars, Guy’s Hospital R.F.C Vice-President and Professor of Oral Medicine at Guy’s Hospital, Stephen Challacombe wrote the following:

“Both have made an excellent contribution to the activities of the Rugby Club, both on Wednesdays and Saturdays and shown real commitment to 1st XV rugby. James has already played at county level and captained his home club's colts side and brings these skills to the Rugby Club here. They both have potential to help raise standards of rugby by their skills and in the case of Thomas, by his contribution to coaching and his example to other health schools.”