STEVE Hill, a Waterhead ARLFC player in his younger days, and now well-known all over the UK for his inspirational challenges the world over, is dreaming of the day when his book, “What Next Sir?” is in every school in the country.
To that end, the Shaw schoolteacher is looking for sponsors at £15 a head to donate a copy of his book, initially, to every school in Oldham and with so much emphasis being placed right now by Oldham Rugby on opportunities for young people, the Players’ Association is to arrange for the book to go into four local schools with a rugby league tradition or background, namely Mayfield Primary, Derker; Crompton House; Saddleworth School; and Bluecoat.
In addition, Joe Warburton, secretary of the Players’ Association and the man credited with initiatives which have seen more than 200 young local lads in the four age groups from under-11s to under-14s inclusive pathway training at Melrose Playing Fields in Chadderton under the auspices of the RFL and Oldham RLFC (Community Development programme), has decided to sponsor four books to go into four more local schools.
Former rugby league star Mike Ford, also Oldham born and bred, and the new managing director of Oldham RLFC, has publicly given his unequivocal support to what Joe, John Byram and many others are doing and he will make a personal appearance at the August meeting of the Players’ Association to outline his own plans and ambitions for Roughyeds.
The schools Joe’s books will go to are: St Theresa, Whetstone Hill Road, Derker OL1 4NA, attended by one of his grandchildren; St Anne’s, Greenacres Rd, Oldham OL4 1HP (his old primary school); St Mary’s C of E High Crompton Primary School, Rushcroft Road, Shaw OL2 7PP, where he has done sports coaching; and St Margaret’s, Hive Street, Hollinwood, Oldham OL8 4QS, a school attended by another of his grandsons.
Said Joe:
“I’ve read the book and it’s brilliant. Steve is now celebrating its first anniversary and his ambition is to see it in every school in the UK, starting with Oldham. If we can play just a tiny role in that, the Players Association will have shown its support for a guy who is a legend in his own lifetime.”
Money from the sale so far of 1,500 copies of “What Next Sir ?” has gone to support the Steve Hill Charitable Trust.
He was awarded the MBE for his services to education and to charity and although, first and foremost, he is a teacher, he has to date raised more than £100,000 for good causes as he pushes the boundaries to help others.
If you wish to sponsor a book to go into a school for £15, you can ring Steve on his mobile at 0775 3570690 or email him at: hilly3494@gmail.com
