So you didn't know I had hearing loss? Me either! That was until the age of 21 when I failed the selection weekend to join the TA based on the lack lustre results of my hearing test...and lo and behold I was finally referred to the consultant to find out why for the past 10 years I had struggled at school, college and university and was told off for being disruptive....well maybe I was a little disruptive and still am sometimes... mainly when someone else is talking and I don't realise or when I'm being told to do something at rugby training!

So instead of sulking about it, I threw myself into my rugby career accelerated through the ranks from club player, county player, regional academy player and then I heard about an organisation, a charity called England Deaf Rugby Union (EDRU).

EDRU didn't have a womens team when I first heard about it but we soon spread the word and I am one of the original players who formed that first team. I worked alongside the current captain and management to help build the team as it is today.

For me, I have found EDRU to be a place of support, I have made some really close friends which are for life, I talk about my hearing issues with the other girls who always have advice if needed. Sometimes its hard to talk about stuff like that with your hearing friends as they just don't understand what it can be like. Its great to share a story and some of the outcomes where people haven't heard what someone has said properly are just hilarious!

For us to send a team of women under the name of EDRU to the first ever World Deaf 7's event in Sydney next April would just be fantastic. It would speak volumes (even if most of us cant hear them!!) about how far we have come as a team, how far disability has come in sport and be an outstanding achievement for the management team and players.

Please donate as much or little as you can to help our dream come true and to give younger girls a team of role models (deaf ones!) to aspire to!