The Wilberforce Trust are thrilled to announce that Will Jubb of the York City Knights has become an ambassador for their Club Wilber.
The Wilberforce Trust’s vision is to see a world in which all people with sight loss, including those with other disabilities, are truly integrated into society with equal opportunities in all aspects of life and to know that our passion and commitment have been influential in bringing this about.
They identified that families of children with a visual impairment were too often finding that their options for recreational activities were limited and that activities were excluding children due to them having a visual impairment. Or that the activities available to children with a visual impairment often exclude their siblings or the rest of the family. They therefore set about fulfilling this need and created Club Wilber.
They run adapted activities, events and trips that are suitable for families with visually impaired children and their siblings from the ages of 0 to 25 years.
Club Wilber provides a supportive environment and an opportunity to get together for families in the Yorkshire area, because many families with visually impaired children do not know anyone else in the same position and it can be a lonely experience. Their activities and events offer a chance to spend time with people that can share similar experiences and gain support and advice.
Will Jubb plays as a hooker for the York City Knights and has worked incredibly hard to become a semi-professional rugby player. Will was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in his right eye when he was two years old. He’d shown no signs of any discomfort at all and the cancer was only detected when his mum noticed that one of his pupils had a white glow in a picture that was taken. After visiting the optician and having numerous tests at the hospital it was confirmed that the cancer had grown to the point where Will needed to have his eye removed.
Will has never allowed his visual impairment to hold him back and was very active in different sports as a child.
His interest in rugby came from watching his brother play and so at age 10 he started playing for Hull Wyke. At age 15 he was signed on the Hull KR scholarship programme and continued playing for the academy until he was 18 and the two academies joined to become the City of Hull Academy. He spent one year at the new academy and then made his debut for Hull KR in a victory over London Broncos scoring a try in the process. After spending 3 years at Rovers he signed with York City Knight’s after spending time there on loan. In his first year as a contracted player he helped them win the league and gain promotion to the Championship.
When Will found out about Club Wilber he was very keen to be an ambassador and be associated with the good work that goes on.
“I want to be a role model to the kids to show them that sight problems shouldn’t hold them back from anything they want to do. I have been able to do everything I wanted to do, and it has never stopped me, so I want to inspire them to chase their dreams, not just in sport but in all aspects of life. I want to be proof that they can succeed and achieve whatever they set their minds to and Club Wilber is a brilliant way to include the kids and show them that it is possible to do these things.”
Samantha Scholey-Dyson, Head of Operations for the Wilberforce Trust said: “I am delighted that Will wants to be an ambassador as he is an excellent role model for the children of Club Wilber. He has overcome adversity to become a professional sportsman and has succeeded in his education too as he is currently studying for a PHD in Fishery Science.”
2020 has been a difficult year but both the City Knights and Wilberforce Trust have new and exciting ventures in 2021 with the opening of the new LNER stadium and the opening of the new Wilberforce House, and so this collaboration is a fantastic addition to their future endeavours.
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