Oakham Rugby Football Club (ORFC) have hosted a signed Leicester Tigers t-shirt raffle to raise funds for a former member of the club.

The club raised over £1,000 at a recent raffle in which members of the club, team and public bid on a signed Leicester Tigers t-shirt in honour of a former club player who, while working abroad, has suffered an injury to his hand.

John Mitchell, who is on a working visa in Canada, injured his hand with a drop saw in January, and has since had surgery and rehab with the hopes of recovery.

Unfortunately, John has lost his thumb, but after 17 hour surgery, is making slow progress.

To support his care and recovery, his family set up a gofundme page, while efforts were made much closer to home by the team at ORFC.

They shared on social media that they have raised over £1,000 to support John by selling tickets to win a signed t-shirt, while the generous winner of the shirt has donated it back to the club to auction off at a later date, if and when John needs more financial support.

ORFC thanked everyone who bought tickets, the donors of the t-shirt and Peter Wheeler, the winner of the t-shirt who has kindly gifted it back to the club.