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Introduction to the official Charity of the Hertfordshire R. F. U.
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The Wooden Spoon |
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To enhance the quality and prospect for life for children and young persons
in the United Kingdom who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially.
The roots of the Wooden Spoon go back to a weekend in Dublin in 1983,
when England came last in the Five Nations Championship. A small group
of English supporters were drowning their sorrows with the aid of the
black stuff, when they were presented with a wooden spoon by some compassionate
Irish fans. Inspired by more Guinness, a plan grew to involve others and
raise a few hundred pounds to help needy children, seen to be wooden spooners
in everyday life.
The Wooden Spoon was launched at Farnham Golf Club in September 1983.
By the end of the day over £8500 had been raised and a minibus was soon
on its way to Park School in Aylesbury, a school for handicapped children.
The Spoon has grown from there, collecting money from events supported
by people who enjoy themselves on the day, and are prepared help fund
a good cause. The Wooden Spoon is not a " Plastic Bucket " charity, its
funds are raised by central and regional events.
The main funds are raised by membership to the Charity, members pay an
annual subscription of at least £20 p.a.( at present we have over 8,000
members ), and large, mostly sponsored, events. This income pays for the
running and administration of the Charity, supports large capital projects,
and perhaps more importantly to the individual members, supports projects
for the Regional Branches.
The Herfordshire Branch is one of the newest, formed in January 2003.
Branches raise their own funds by various events such as sportsmans dinners,
rugby matches and tournaments, golf days and anything else that will raise
funds. This money is attributed for the use of the Branch and will be
matched, pound for pound, by central funds when the branch has identified
a project to benefit local disadvantaged children. This is perhaps the
largest incentive to Branch members. What other Charity gives its organizers
the opportunity to have a say in the use of every pound raised by their
efforts, and then see their funds doubled, when their project s approved
by the Trustees of the Charity ?
The Spoon is now raising up to £1,000,000, p.a. through its central funding
and branches. The Hertfordshire branch, in its first year will probably
have raised nearly £20,000 and recruited over 130 new members to the Spoon.
Fund Raising events in Hertfordshire so far include;
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Golf Day at Moor Park, run by Muir Stratford ( £ 1600
), funds to Chiltern region this year |
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Curry Cup, at Leighton Buzzard RFC, a 12 a side Rugby Tournament,
run by Mick Kingdom ( £ 3000 ) |
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HRAC match in the City, run by Mick Kingdom ( £ 2000 ) |
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Royston Golf Day, plus speaker David Duckham, run by John Nicholl
( £ 1750 ) |
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Sportsmans Dinner, Hertford RFC, speaker John Bentley, run by John
Atkinson ( £ 1600 ) |
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Herts RFC Golf Day at Mid Herts Golf Club, run by Chris Pool ( £
3500 ) |
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Sportsmans Dinner at Welwyn GC RFC,speaker Gareth Chilcott, run
by Mark
and Heather Elliot £400 ) |
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John Nicholl also raised misc funds through being Captain Royston
GC ( £ 3350 ) |
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Sportsmans Dinner, Herford RFC, speaker Martin Bayfield, run by
John Atkinson ( £ 1250 ) |
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Roy Campbell also raised misc funds through Harpendon Golf Club
( £500 ) |
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The Branch also is given £10 for each new member recruited that
year, which should amount to £1300 |
Hertfordshire has already benefited from two projects, when Hertfordshire
was part of the Chiltern Branch. They were : 1997, £150,000 for a hydrotherapy
pool at Meadowood Special Needs School, Bushey, and 2003, £40,000 for
a fully equipped playroom at a battered wives refuge in Hemel Hempstead,
opened by Keiran Bracken. We have two projects, one near Royston, the
other near St Albans, that are being considered by the Trustees of the
Spoon.
Confirmed Forthcoming Events;
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February 20th: |
Sportsmans Dinner, Letchworth RFC, speaker
Fergus Slattery,
run by Graham Steel |
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February 26th: |
Old Time Music Hall, Kimpton, run by Chris
Pool |
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April 30th: |
Golf Day at Moor Park Golf Club, run by
Muir Stratford |
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May 12th: |
Golf Day at Royston Golf Club, run by John
Nicholl |
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August 13th |
Herts. RFU Golf Day at Mid Hert Golf Club,
run by Chris Pool |
It is our aim to have at least one contact member in each Rugby Club
in Hertfordshire. The Spoon has been adopted by the Herts. County RFC.
Our Committee welcome opportunities to visit Clubs in the County to spread
the word, as we see this as a positive way to promote rugby and local
clubs to local communities.
Finally, our mission statement once again:
To enhance the quality and prospect of life for children
and young persons in the
United Kingdom who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially.
More information is available by clicking on "Links" in
the navigation bar
then "The Wooden Spoon".
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