Roller derby is one of the fastest-growing sport in the UK, and we’re delighted a local team has chosen to support us with their fundraising efforts this year.
Oxford Roller Derby (ORD) have been playing the exciting game of roller derby for nearly seven years. Ranked within the top 50 teams in Europe, the all-women squad is keen to support the growth of the sport, as well as the welfare of their teammates and local community. As such, they have chosen mental health organisation, Oxfordshire Mind, as their nominated charity of the year.
Despite being one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK, roller derby is still shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. From the complex rules to the physically demanding game-play, those that put on skates have to be at the peak of both their mental and physical fitness. That being said, it is one of the most entertaining and unique sports there is to watch! Described as a mixture of roller hockey, rugby and F1, it’s fast, fun and full of surprises. For a 101 on roller derby, you can watch the below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UJwqzyEFh4
To kick off the fundraising, the team donated their raffle earnings from two home games, raising a total of £467.45 so far. To follow, they are busy putting together a charity event consisting of a women’s beginner game and an advanced gender-inclusive headliner. All profit from this event will be going to Oxfordshire Mind, and there will be a raffle and a cake stall selling an assortment of delights baked by the team. ORD have also designed and printed t-shirts, with sales headed straight to the charity.
Zoe Nagy, A-team skater, said:
“We at Oxford Roller Derby are proud to support Oxfordshire Mind. We think they do an amazing job and we want to offer our support whenever we can. I devastatingly lost my best friend in August 2015 – she suffered with bipolar and took her own life. This prompted me to nominate Oxfordshire Mind to be considered as our supported charity. I think it is so important to raise massive amounts of awareness regarding metal health, as most of us will battle with it, directly or indirectly, at some point in our lives.
“This is the first time we have done anything like this, we are really excited about it. With all the skater tickets selling out within a few days, it’s shaping up to be another success.”
The charity game is being held on 29th January at their home venue, Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre. Spectator tickets are available via their Facebook page and will also be available on the door.
Photo courtesy of Kim Wheeler Photography