| To realise this vision, we need to be efficient in the way we raise funds through events, membership, corporate adoptions, donations and bidding for funding through external foundations. This is no easy task but thanks to the origins of our Charity, we are honoured to be able to rely on the support of the rugby community to help us grow our subscribing social membership, develop our regional volunteer groups, enlist individual contributors and build profitable, lasting, corporate relationships. We are also indebted to our rugby origins for giving us, our core values of passion, integrity, teamwork, and fun. These underlying values drive the ethos and spirit in everything we do.
Wooden Spoon was founded in 1983 after disappointment on the rugby pitch. Since then Spoon has grown from strength to strength investing over £15m and many volunteer resources into easing the hardships of those disadvantaged in life. However, 2010 presents Spoon with very challenging but exciting times.
Challenging... well nobody needs reminding about the economic environment at the moment, it has impacted many peoples' lives and the charity sector overall has seen a sharp decrease in available funds with many shedding jobs and digging into reserves. However, at Spoon, thanks to the monumental achievements of the increased regional and national fundraising efforts and our excellent support base, we have not yet rejected a single proposed capital project on the grounds of insufficient funds.
Exciting... because we have now embarked on some of the most inspirational and ground breaking operational social projects ever run by Spoon. These Spoon Community Rugby (SCR) projects run in conjunction with the Rugby Unions of the home nations and Rugby League, are not only delivering results that can be measured in a quantitative and qualitative manner, they are achieving awards and gaining corporate, political and rugby recognition at the highest level. Did you know that if we manage to keep one kid out of the criminal justice system we can save the country a staggering £200,000 and that is without putting a cost on the emotional impact of any crime committed. We have already delivered many examples of success where our SCR programme has altered the outlook of individuals and directed them towards a life outside crime. With these statistics, no wonder we are now in the government focus.
If you would like to become a member of Spoon and help make a difference, please click here. So here's to success in 2010… on and off the field!
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