Wooden Spoon Society
Wooden Spoon (Spoon) is a children's charity founded in 1983, when the England rugby team received the Wooden Spoon in the 5 Nations. Spoon is dedicated to helping children and young people who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially by using sport as a method of improving lives while harnessing the spirit and values of rugby. Wooden Spoon encompasses more than 10,000 members across the UK and Ireland with over 40 regional volunteer committees, who organise fundraising events and challenges:
To date, Spoon has helped over 500,000 children and donated over £15 million to a variety of causes.
Major projects
Spoon has funded many projects over the years. Some notable recent projects include:
- A £200,000 Wooden Spoon Disabled Sports Centre at the Percy Hedley Foundation.[1]
- A £250,000 project to enhance the Children and Baby unit at the RNOH Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex.[2]
- Commitment to the UK DfES "Playing for Success" programme within the Tackle Learning project. This has seen ITC equipment installed in 6 rugby clubs to date – two rugby union, (Gloucester[3] and Worcester[4] ) and three rugby league (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats,[5] Hull Kingston Rovers[6] and Featherstone Rovers[7])
Ambassador Programme
Wooden Spoon is supported by numerous sportspeople who contribute their time and energy to raise awareness for Spoon. In addition, Spoon has strong relationships with a variety of clubs, league associations, governing bodies and corporate supporters.
- Shane Williams – Wales' Grand Slam Hero
- Ben Kay – 2003 Rugby World Cup Winner
- Elspeth Hanson – Musician
- Samantha Cameron – wife of David Cameron and Creative Director of Smythsons
- Jonny Saunders – BBC Radio 2 voice of sport
- Mark Sharman – ITV's Head of News and Sport
- John Kane – the Founder of World Rugby Classic in Bermuda
- Chef Vivek Singh - Executive Chef and CEO at Cinnamon Kitchen, The Cinnamon Club & Cinnamon Soho Indian restaurants in London
Try Rugby
The 12 premiership clubs that make up Premier Rugby, have launched Try Rugby, an initiative designed to help tackle the growing issue of childhood obesity. The programme has been developed and funded through a partnership between Spoon, Premier Rugby and Sport England.
Try Rugby gives local schools a course in tag rugby that will benefit children and teachers and will enable rugby to still be played long after completing the coaching series.
SpoonAAs
Spoon has its own invitational rugby team, the SpoonAAs – formerly the Anti-Assassins[8] – who play matches and tournaments around the country and abroad in Spoon colours. In December 2006, the SpoonAAs were losing finalists[9] in the Dubai International Veterans Tens Tournament, played alongside the IRB Dubai Sevens.
Founding
Spoon was founded in 1983 when England's Five Nations season ended in defeat by Ireland. A group of English supporters were presented with a Wooden Spoon by their Irish opponents to mark the historic occasion. On returning home, the proposal to play golf for the Spoon attracted the interest of fellow English supporters. Over 100 people attended that golf day at Farnham and by the end of the evening £8,450 had been raised. The funds were cashed in for a minibus purchased for the Park School, a special needs school in Aylesbury.
Over time the number and variety of events increased as have the number of supporters and participants. Spoon now has patronage from the four rugby home unions and royal patronage from HRH The Princess Royal.
Notable members
Patron: The Princess Royal is a patron of the Wooden Spoon.[10]
Many former and current professional rugby players and management are Wooden Spoon members. Several are Regional Honorary Presidents including:
- Rob Andrew, MBE
- Martin Bayfield
- John Bentley
- Bill Beaumont, OBE
- Kyran Bracken, MBE
- Gareth Chilcott
- Fran Cotton
- Lawrence Dallaglio, OBE
- Matt Dawson, MBE
- David Duckham, MBE
- Danny Grewcock, MBE
- Dusty Hare
- Gavin Hastings, OBE
- Richard Hill, MBE
- John Inverdale
- Alex King
- Dr Jack Kyle, OBE
- Jason Leonard, OBE
- Willie John McBride, MBE
- Jeff Probyn
- Scott Quinnell
- Andy Robinson, OBE
- Graham Rowntree
- Pat Sanderson
- Matt Stevens
- Rory Underwood, MBE
- Peter Wheeler, OBE JP
- Sir Clive Woodward
- Joe Worsley, MBE
- Jason Robinson, OBE
Trustees
The Trustees are volunteers responsible under the charity's governing document for controlling the management and administration of the charity.
The Life President, Peter Scott MBE, is one of the founders. He was awarded the MBE for services to charity in 2002.[11]
Trustees include:
Cecil Duckworth OBE, Chairman and backer of Worcester Rugby Football Club
David Allen
Fred Hucker
References
- ↑ "Foundation stone laying". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Children Unit RNOH". Harrow Times. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Playing for Success Centre". BBC. 1 October 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Playing for Success Centre opens Jan07". Worcester Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Playing for Success Centre". Department for Education and Skills. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Playing for Success Centre Opens". Hull Kingston Rovers. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Playing for Success Centre Opens". Wakefield Metropolitan District Council. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "N/A". Halifax Today.
- ↑ "Dubai Rugby Tournament 2006 International Vets results" (EXCEL SPREADSHEET). Dubai Sevens. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "Titles of HRH Princess Anne". Burke's Peerage. Archived from the original on 7 December 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
- ↑ "New Year Honours 2000". BBC. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 29 January 2007.