AFTER visiting military veterans late last year as part of a club community programme, Sale Sharks first-team star Curtis Langdon has been made an ambassador of the Broughton House charity.
The Sharks hooker met a number of inspiring veterans during his visit to the Salford facility, including 95-year-old George Simms – a former WWII marine who survived D-Day despite being wounded twice.
George, who is from Manchester, volunteered at the age of 18 and was selected for service in the Royal Marines. He saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war during the Allied invasions of Sicily and Normandy in World War Two.
The visit took place after George met Curtis at a Sharks game for the first time and made him promise to come and visit Broughton House soon after.
Curtis, along with AJ MacGinty and Sale Sharks Community Trust coach and former soldier Craig Monaghan spent the afternoon meeting residents at the home as part of the Sharks Forces programme.
Curtis (21) joined Sale Sharks from London Irish in 2016. The former England under-20 hooker has worked his way into the first team this season with 13 appearances so far including a season-debut try against Leicester.
“My father Matt was a serving Royal Marine, so hearing more about what life in the Forces was like was amazing, and the stories were genuinely inspiring,” he said. “By becoming an ambassador, I hope to help raise the profile of the charity even more and offer my support wherever I can.”
North West support
Broughton House is currently the only dedicated home for ex-Servicemen and women in the north west. Once redevelopment finishes in 2020, it will include a 64-bedroom care home with a dementia wing and a separate 30 independent living apartments.
Broughton House chief executive Chris Lindsay said: “We are delighted that Curtis has agreed to become an ambassador of Broughton House. We’re extremely grateful for the time he and others at Sale Sharks have taken to meet our residents and take an interest in their stories and the re-development of Broughton House.
“As a local charity we rely heavily on the support of people in Greater Manchester and it’s fantastic to have Curtis on board as an ambassador for the home and the work we do. As a member of the local community and as a role model for the younger generation, the dedication shown to Broughton House by Curtis is inspirational. We look forward to working with him in the future.”