Rhinos News
Burgess joined the rest of his Rhinos team mates recently in helping to record their version of the Heather Small hit Proud with the RJ Community Choir. However, Burgess took things one step further than his team mates and actually performed a solo on the single.
Commenting on the experience Burgess said, "It was something really different from what we are used to obviously but it was good to go outside of your comfort zone and try something new. We had a couple of rehearsals and Leroy Johnson, who is runs the choir, picked myself and Danny McGuire out to do the solos. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your point of view, Danny was not able to hang around to record is solo so it is only me who features on the finished version.
"The CD is for a great cause, especially as it directly helps families here in Leeds at a very tough time in their lives. I don't mind a bit of mickey taking if it means we help the Sick Children's Trust raise the money to reach their appeal target," added Burgess.
The CD is available now from the Rhinos club shop at Headingley Carnegie and the St Johns Centre in Leeds City Centre and all proceeds go to aid The Sick Children's Trust (SCT)'s Big Move Appeal.
The SCT's 'The Big Move' campaign, aims to raise £1.7 million to move Eckersley House from its current location at St James's Hospital to the Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) in May 2010. To date The SCT has raised over 1 million pounds to fund the move-but still need to raise the crucial £700,000 to open the new house this summer.
Fundraiser for the Big Move Appeal Vicki Smith said, "The Sick Children's Trust is so grateful for the Rhinos support and we're hoping to raise about £10,000 from the CD. It's a great song and a great cause."
For 16 years Eckersley House has supported the recovery of seriously ill children across Yorkshire by providing high quality accommodation and caring staff for families, just minutes away from the hospital wards.
St James's Hospital is moving its children's wards to the LGI to create a paediatric Centre of Excellence. By April 2010 the majority of children's wards will be moved to the new centre. This development means that Eckersley House will no longer be needed in its present location at St James's Hospital, but will be in great demand at the LGI. .
The move of Eckersley House to the LGI will also mean more bedrooms - from 16 to 22 - to help more families in their time of need.
The SCT will be the sole provider of family accommodation at the LGI; so if Eckersley House isn't moved, every year hundreds of sick children from across Yorkshire would have to undergo prolonged medical treatment without their families being close by.
