Wooden Spoon is the children’s charity of

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

. It supports children and young people with disabilities or living in disadvantage in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. Since 1983, Wooden Spoon has committed more than £29 million to more than 1,300 projects, supporting over 1.4 million disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.

History

Wooden Spoon was founded in 1983 after five England rugby supporters went to Dublin to watch England in the final game of the

Five Nations Championship The Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) is an annual international men's rugby union competition between the teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The current champions ar ...

against the Irish. The game was lost 25–15 and England finished last in the table with just a single point gained from their draw against Wales. After the match, in a Dublin bar, five England supporters were presented with a wooden spoon by their Irish friends. Accepting the gift, the England fans decided to hold a golf match to see who would keep the wooden spoon. When the golf match was held £8,450 was raised and the money was used to provide a new minibus for a local special needs school, Park School. The life president, Peter Scott, is one of the founders. He was awarded the MBE for services to charity in 2002.

Wooden Spoon projects

Wooden Spoon's focus is on supporting children and young people through projects such as sensory rooms, playground and outdoor activities, health and wellbeing and specialist equipment. Projects include: * £30,000 for a new building for ACE Centre Advisory Trust. * £250,000 towards a new children's hospital,

Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales The Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales ( cy, Ysbyty Arch Noa Plant Cymru) is a children's hospital in Cardiff, Wales. It is situated on the site of the University Hospital of Wales in the Heath area of the city and is managed by the Cardiff ...

. * £60,000 to Game on Glasgow. * £40,000 for a redesign of the physiotherapy gymnasium at

Royal Manchester Children's Hospital The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital is a children's hospital in Oxford Road, Manchester, England. The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital is managed by the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. History A new hospital was required to ...

. * £7,000 for a soft playroom at

Oak Grove College Oak Grove College is a coeducational special school and sixth form maintained by West Sussex County Council. The school provides special education for students with learning difficulties from Year 7 to Year 14. In late 2016 the school was award ...

HITZ

HITZ is a programme supported by Wooden Spoon and delivered by

Premiership Rugby Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition. The Premiership has consisted of thirteen clubs since 2021, and is the ...

using rugby to help young people back into education, vocational training, apprenticeships and employment. In 2012, HITZ received the Best Community Programme Award at the Sports Industry Awards.

References

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External links

Wooden Spoon website
Children's charities based in the United Kingdom Rugby union in England Rugby union in Scotland Rugby union in Wales Rugby union in Ireland World Rugby Awards winners