26th November 2013

Dear Parents

Alastair Hignell Evening Friday 8th November 2013

“Higgy...Matches Microphones and MS”- Voted the ‘Best Rugby Book’ in the 2012 British Sports Book Awards.

For those of you who attended the evening you will no doubt be interested in a personalised signed copy of Alastair’s award winning autobiography. The opportunity has arisen for us to order the book with a personal message with a significant contribution going direct to MS-UK. Alastair Hignell became Patron of Multiple Sclerosis UK (MS-UK) (formally Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre) in 2002 and has since been active in raising funds for the charity.

For those of you couldn’t attend what was an outstanding evening Alastair Hignell was educated at Denstone College, a boarding independent school for boys, followed by Fitzwilliam College at the University of . Hignell won Blues at Cambridge in both and rugby union, and by the time he graduated from the University in 1977, he had already made several England appearances at full back. He was only the second man to captain Cambridge at both cricket and rugby union.

After leaving university, he continued playing rugby for Bristol and England in the winter, while also working as a teacher at Bristol Cathedral School and Sherborne School, and cricket playing for Gloucestershire in the summer. As a right-handed batsman, he scored solidly rather than spectacularly, passing 1,000 runs in a season three times, including his final season in 1983, before his retirement. He won the last of his 14 England rugby caps in 1978-79.

Alastair continued to teach until he moved into journalism full-time and he became a respected reporter, as well as working extensively on BBC Radio. In 1999, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and has since been an active fundraiser. His final commentary for BBC Radio Five Live was the 2007-08 Guinness Premiership Final at Twickenham, where London Wasps beat 26–16. Retiring Wasps captain dedicated the victory to Hignell. He then went on to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award in 2008 for his work in spreading awareness of multiple sclerosis. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.

If you would like a signed copy of the book, or would like to order one for a very nice Christmas gift, please fill in the return slip below with cheques made payable to QEGS Sports Association and return to the PE office by 6th December. The cost of the book is £20 this includes all delivery costs, the personal signed message and a large amount going towards the MS-UK charity.

Yours sincerely

Christian Head Trevor Barker QEGS PA Director of Sport

“Higgy...Matches Microphones and MS” Voted the ‘Best Rugby Book’ in the 2012 British Sports Book Awards

Enclosed a cheque to the value of £______(Cheques made payable to QEGS Sports Association – please write your child’s name and school on the reverse)

Child’s Name: ______Form:______Signed:______(Parent/Guardian)

Name for message in the book ______