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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 and Ireland . Today (2007) it is recognised as the official Charity 1 of British And Irish Rugby Union 2. It has a small central office, over 40 voluntary regional committees, 11,000 social members, and has distributed over £12m, primarily to capital projects to enhance the lives of socially, physically or mentally disadvantaged children and young persons. 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 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 events . Spoon has its own invitational rugby team, the SpoonAAs - formerly the ''Anti-Assassins'' 10 - who play matches and tournaments around the country and abroad in Spoon colours . In December 2006, the SpoonAAs were losing finalists 11 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 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. 12. 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.13. Many former and current professional rugby players and management are Wooden Spoon members. Several are Regional Honorary Presidents including:
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 2002.14 Trustees are listed 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 Commitee, a previous Trustee and a long-time supporter of Spoon. {Link without Title} REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS |
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