Rugby league players take one for the Calderdale team

Halifax RLFC has donated £500 towards the #MakeItStop community campaign to help older people.

The figure will be doubled by local philanthropist Community Foundation for Calderdale through its match funding scheme.

The sporting giants posed for their #Scarfie at their Halifax home stadium The Shay.

The rugby team proved they’re good sports and took on the #Scarfie challenge in raising awareness of the Courier and Community Foundation for Calderdale campaign which aims to empower some of our most vulnerable members of society.

The donation was made by the club’s Calderdale Carers Lottery. It’s lottery manager, Richard Watmough, said: “When we heard about the appeal we immediately wanted to help, the figures are quite shocking and as a club we want to help our community and this appeal is a great way to do that, especially when the Community Foundation for Calderdale are matching donations pound for pound.”

Shocking figures revealed that half of older people in Calderdale are living in fuel poverty – with more than ten per cent of their income going on the cost of keeping warm.

Older people are more vulnerable in the colder months when plummeting temperatures increase the number of hospital admissions, falls and accidents and leads to increased amounts of depression due to isolation.

The campaign is asking people to take a ‘selfie in a scarf’ and tweet to @CalderdaleFound and @hxcourier and donate anything from £1 upwards by texting CFFC14 £amount to 70070 - all donations will be match funded.

Start the ‘selfiescarf’ revolution by nominating friends, family and colleagues to take on the #Scarfie challenge.