World renowned rugby referee, Nigel Owens, reveals a handwritten letter from former RFU chairman, Bill Beaumont, which was the caring gesture that got him through when it mattered most.
Dove Men+Care, one of Unilever’s leading male toiletries brands, today launched its second film in an emotive series titled the ‘Spirit of Rugby’. The film highlights the spirit and togetherness in rugby as world renowned referee, Nigel Owens, reveals the care and support which RFU chairman, Bill Beaumont, displayed when he wrote a handwritten letter to Nigel after he was subjected to homophobic abuse at Twickenham.
The launch of this film comes ahead of Pride Cymru, taking place in Cardiff. Nigel Owens has been a Patron for the charity for a number of years, campaigning to stamp out sexual discrimination in sport since coming out as gay in 2007.
On taking part in the film, international rugby referee, Nigel Owens said, “the letter I received from Bill made a huge impression on me. The care he showed not only made me feel welcome at Twickenham, but also made me realise that the people who made those comments were very much in the minority. This film highlights the impact people can have when united, which is what Pride Cymru is all about. No matter who you are, it’s a brilliant day out for all and I’m extremely proud to be part of it.”
The ‘Spirit of Rugby’ films will continue to be released throughout 2018 leading up to the World Rugby awards in November, at which the Spirit of Rugby Award, in association with Dove Men+Care, will be presented to somebody going above and beyond with an outstanding act of care in the rugby community.
Chris Barron, Unilever Vice President of Personal Care, said: “we’re excited to be launching this second film in ‘The Spirit of Rugby’ series. Nigel and Bill’s story is an inspirational moment, showing the care people connected with the game can show off the pitch. As we move closer to the World Rugby Awards in November we will continue to highlight these unique rugby stories celebrating the core values of the game we love.”
To keep up with all Dove Men+Care’s ‘The Spirit of Rugby’ films please visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/dovemencareuk
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For more information, please contact:
Hannah Mogg, CSM Sport & Entertainment
E: hannah.mogg@csm.com; T: 07786 052 926
or
Harry Benyon, CSM Sport & Entertainment
E: harry.benyon@csm.com; T: 07384 455 475
About Dove Men+Care
Dove Men+Care is a quality range of anti-perspirant deodorants and shower gel products, all 100% designed for men, delivering powerful performance and being easy on skin.
Twitter – @DoveMen
YouTube – dovemencareuk
Instagram – @dove_men
About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. It has 161,000 employees and generated sales of €53.7 billion in 2017. Over half (57%) of the company’s footprint is in developing and emerging markets. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes all over the world, including Persil, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann’s, Lipton, Wall’s, PG Tips, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum and Lynx.
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