RUGBY stars will help send off a huge rugby ball on a fundraising journey of a lifetime to help with a fundraising campaign for a local charity.

Legendary World Cup winning New Zealand prop John Afoa, who currently plays for Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership, will be joined by teammate and rising name Elliott Stooke to officially launch the ground-breaking #CarryMeHomeKate campaign in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup. Stow and District Rugby Club aims to pass the oversized ball as many times as possible around the Cotswolds and as far afield as possible.

The dynamic drive, which kicks off on July 15 at Stow Rugby Club at 3pm, is in aid of Kate’s Home Nursing, a north Cotswolds charity giving invaluable care for people in their own homes through the last stage of illness and supporting their families.

Stow RFC is challenging fundraisers to come up with the most inventive and fun way to pass the distinctive ball.

Each time will be officially ‘clicked’ before the final total is revealed at the campaign’s climax on September 6 at the club’s action-packed family fun day.

Sending out a rallying call, campaign committee chairman Sean Clarke said: “We want wild and wacky ideas. It doesn’t have to be just rugby players, we want as many different people involved as possible in the community. It can be any individual or club from beekeepers to wine drinkers' groups, from mums and toddlers to old people’s homes and public bodies such as firefighters or council workers.

The iconic ball was specially made by Gilbert Rugby, World Cup suppliers. It features the #CarryMeHomeKate slogan, logos of the rugby club and the event’s main sponsors and is edged in Kate’s pink and blue colours.

Every event will raise the profile of Kate’s Home Nursing. The charity played a vital part in the life of Sean Clarke. His father, Christopher, received palliative care for six weeks in 1998. “A lot of people aren’t aware of these nurses before it’s too late,” he said. “But they offer a safety net and a warm embrace. They don’t just do wonderful work looking after the patient but also support the family."

Sean and his brother Simon’s Stow business Christopher Clarke Antiques has raised funds for Kate’s Home Nursing for a decade, with Manfred Schotten Antiques, Burford. “Most of our rugby club members come from the Stow, Moreton, Bourton, Northleach, Winchcombe and Burford area, which is what Kate’s covers so supporting it has a natural symmetry,” said Sean. “This time I wanted to unite all the club’s sections and past members in one major fun event.”

Cotswold Hill Stone & Masonry has replicated the #CarryMeHomeKate rugby ball. It has donated two carved stone balls, one to be auctioned and the other to be permanently displayed at Stow RFC.

To donate you can buy a wristband or make a donation at www.justgiving.com/carrymehomekate or text RUGB50 followed by £1, £2, £5 or £10 to 70070. Watch the ball’s progress and see your video on www.facebook.com/CarryMeHomeKate.