Five Rugby Charities
With the Rugby World Cup - the pinnacle of the men’s rugby union game – kicking off in France in September, we’re taking a look at the charities and foundations that use the sport as a force for good to support those in need.
This is a feature from Issue 17 of Charitable Traveller. Click to read more from this issue.
1. Wooden Spoon
The children’s charity of rugby, Wooden Spoon is a grantmaking organisation that funds life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland to transform the lives of vulnerable children and young people. Founded after England’s dismal performance in the 1983 Five Nations Rugby Championship, it works with rugby clubs and fans to fund approximately 70 projects a year, including creating playgrounds and providing outdoor activities, supplying specialist kit and facilities, and building sensory rooms and gardens for children and young people with learning disabilities.
woodenspoon.org.uk
2. The Matt Hampson Foundation
Founded by former England and Leicester Tigers rugby player Matt Hampson OBE, the Matt Hampson Foundation works to inspire and support young people seriously injured through sport. Matt experienced a life-changing injury in 2005 that left him paralysed from the neck down, aged 20, so understands the journey injury leads to. By providing expert physiotherapy, specialist personal training, support, mentoring and advice, the Foundation helps people with lifechanging injuries to get busy living again, whether it’s helping them get back into sport, or supporting them in adapting to their new life.
charitable.travel/the-matt-hampson-foundation/
3. Rugby for Heroes
Providing financial and personal support to servicemen and women to help them make the transition from military service back into civilian life, Rugby For Heroes uses the sport of rugby to assist with the process. There are some obvious parallels to be drawn between the UK’s Armed Forces and rugby (namely the traditions and shared core values), and the rugby community offers a sense of belonging that many leaving the Armed Forces recognise and relate to.
rugbyforheroes.org.uk
4. The Atlas Foundation
Founded and led by Rugby World Cup Champion Jason Leonard OBE, the Atlas Foundation exists to help deprived children work towards a better future through rugby communities. Through health, education, and gender inclusion programmes plus a large number of rugby initiatives, The Atlas Foundation provides safety, education, food, sport, guidance and community to thousands of children across five continents. Its work is led by the core rugby values of integrity, hard work and respect, and so far, over 50,000 children have been supported.
theatlascharity.org
5. My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
Committed to helping improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neurone Disease, the foundation was created by the late Doddie Weir OBE, one of rugby’s most recognisable personalities who earned 61 caps for Scotland during his career and, in 2017, revealed he was suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. The Foundation helps fund grants given by MND Scotland and MND Association, and initiates and encourages research to better understand the needs of MND patients and their families.
myname5doddie.co.uk
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