Wooden Spoon Society

The Wooden Spoon Society is a major rugby union charity in the United Kingdom named after the Wooden Spoon award given by the Six (previously Five) nations championship.

The society raises funds for disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. Today (2008) it is recognised as the official charity [cite web | url = http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=326691 | title = Extract from the Central Register of Charities | work = Charity Commission | date = 23 November 2006 | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007 ] of British and Irish rugby union [cite web | url = http://clubs.rfu.com/Clubs/portals/lancashire/RugbysOwnCharity3852.aspx | title = Rugby's Own Charity | work = Rugby Football Union | date = October 5, 2006 | 29 January|accessyear=2007] . It has a small central office, over 40 voluntary regional committees, 11,000 social members. Its expenditure for the year ended 31 March 2006 exceeded £4 million, of which £1.7 million went to charity. It primarily supports capital projects to enhance the lives of socially, physically or mentally disadvantaged children and young people.

Many of the projects are focused on enhancing facilities at Special Educational Need schools by provision of hydrotherapy pools, sensory rooms and playground equipment.

Major projects

The Society has funded many projects over the years. Some notable recent projects include:
* A £200,000 Wooden Spoon Disabled Sports Centre at the [http://www.percyhedley.org.uk/thefoundation.asp Percy Hedley Foundation] [cite web | url = http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2005/5/31/11550.html| title = Foundation stone laying| work = The Northern Echo | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] .
* A £250,000 project to enhance the Children and Baby unit at the RNOH Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex [cite web | url = http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.485157.0.hail_england_st_george_and_the_rnoh.php| title = Children Unit RNOH| work = Harrow Times | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] .

* Commitment to the UK DfES [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/playingforsuccess/index.cfm?SectionID=1&CategoryID=2| "Playing for Success"] programme within the [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/playingforsuccess/index.cfm?SectionID=1&CategoryID=5| Tackle Learning] project. This has seen ITC equipment installed in 5 rugby clubs to date - two rugby union, (Gloucester [cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/4299216.stm| title = Playing for Success Centre| work = BBC | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] and Worcester [cite web | url = http://www.wrfc.co.uk/196_1011.php| title = Playing for Success Centre opens Jan07| work = Worcester Rugby Football Club | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] ) and three rugby league (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, [cite web | url = http://www.dfes.gov.uk/playingforsuccess/index.cfm?CategoryID=7&SectionID=1| title = Playing for Success Centre| work = Department for Education and Skills | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] Hull Kingston Rovers [cite web | url = http://www.hullkr.co.uk/schoolprogram.php| title = Playing for Success Centre Opens| work = Hull Kingston Rovers | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] and Featherstone Rovers [cite web | url =http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/News/PressReleases/previousreleases/November/PlayingForSuccess.htm| title = Playing for Success Centre Opens| work = Wakefield Metropolitan District Council | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] )

A comprehensive list of funded projects is available [http://www.woodenspoon.com/182_175.php here]

The emphasis of the society is to have "fun while fundraising". The society organises many fund-raising events and Sporting Challenges both on a national and regional level. Members can be often spotted wearing their distinctive spoon ties or scarves at rugby union matches and other [http://www.woodenspoon.com/3_870.php events] .

Spoon has its own invitational rugby team, the SpoonAAs - formerly the "Anti-Assassins" [cite news | url = http://www.halifaxtoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?sectionid=75&ArticleID=218605 | work = Halifax Today | title = N/A ] - who play matches and tournaments around the country and abroad in [http://www.woodenspoon.com/166_672.php Spoon colours] . In December 2006, the SpoonAAs were losing finalists [cite news | url = http://www.dubairugby7s.com/database/117_International%20Vets.xls | format = Excel spreadsheet | Dubai 7's | title = Dubai Rugby Tournament 2006 International Vets results | work = Dubai Sevens | accessdate= 2007-01-29] l in the Dubai International Veterans Tens Tournament, played alongside the IRB Dubai Sevens.

Founding

The idea for the Society occurred in 1983 by a group of English rugby union supporters while drinking in a Dublin bar and commiserating over England's award of the Wooden Spoon for that year. They were presented with a Wooden Spoon by their Irish compatriots to mark this historic occasion. On returning home the proposal to play golf for the spoon attracted the interest of fellow English supporters. 127 people attended that golf day at Farnham and by the end of the evening £8450 had been raised. The funds were cashed in for a minibus purchased for the Park Special Needs School in Aylesbury. And so the charity was born.

Spoon was formally incorporated as a charity in 1984. [cite web | url = http://www.woodenspoon.com/194_132.php | title = About Spoon | work = woodenspoon.com | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] .

More recently, the Wooden Spoon Society has changed its logo from a rose, to reflect that it is not purely an English rugby organisation.

Notable members

Patron: Princess Anne is patron of the society. [cite web | url = http://www.burkes-peerage.net/Sites/Peerage/SitePages/page62-6g.asp| title = Titles of HRH Princess Anne | work = Burke's Peerage | accessdate=29 January|accessyear=2007] .

Many former and current professional rugby players and management are Wooden Spoon members. Several are Regional Honorary Presidents including:

*Rob Andrew, OBE
*Martin Bayfield
*John Bentley
*Bill Beaumont, OBE
*Kyran Bracken, MBE
*Gareth Chilcott
*Fran Cotton
*Lawrence Dallaglio, MBE
*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. [cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2000/new_year_honours_2000/1730272.stm | title = New Year Honours 2000 | work = BBC | date = December 31, 2001 |29 January|accessyear=2007 ]

Trustees are listed [http://www.woodenspoon.com/194_198.php here] and include:

Cecil Duckworth OBE, Chairman and backer of Worcester Rugby Football Club

David Allen

Fred Hucker

Management

On 28th August 2007 it was announced that the Chief Executive, Geoff Morris, had resigned from the Charity after 6 years of employment. His position was replaced by an Interim CEO, Chris Gill, previously CEO of OKI Systems UK, a member of the Hampshire Committee, a previous Trustee and a long-time supporter of Spoon. [http://www.woodenspoon.com/195_198.php]

References

External links

* [http://www.woodenspoon.com Wooden Spoon website]
* [http://www.intelligentgiving.com/charity/326691 Intelligent Giving's profile of Wooden Spoon]
* [http://www.spoonchallenges.com Wooden Spoon Sporting Challenges website]