SPRING/SUMMER 2020 SPOONEWS LOVE STORY Red Rose boss Eddie Jones on dream endings PAST PRESENTS How donations over the last decade will be felt tomorrow forever FUNDRAISING! If you are ssll in a posison to support us, there are a number of things you can do: Support us through Amazon Smile A small percentage of your online purchases will go to Wooden Spoon at no extra cost to you. Take part in the Weather Lottery For just £1 per week you can raise money for Wooden Spoon and be in with the chance of winning up to £25,000. Set up a Facebook fundraiser Whether it’s for your birthday or in memory of someone you love, your friends can donate in a few taps without leaving Facebook. Set yourself a Virtual Challenge Run from England to Scotland over 30 days or walk the length of a marathon from the comfort of your own home. Find out more at woodenspoon.org.uk/virtual-fundraisers WELCOME FUTUREPROOFING IN AN UNFAMILIAR PRESENT ITH much of daily life now effectively “on pause” The year so far has been testament to this pledge; we as the world grapples to understand and contain have already committed to spending a record £1.3 million Wthe coronavirus crisis, the concept of time has on projects to help positively transform the lives of children somewhat shifted. with a disability or facing disadvantage in the UK and The past certainly seems to currently make more sense Ireland. than the present and in this issue we unashamedly Unfortunately, time does not stand still for those Wooden reflect back on some of Wooden Spoon’s not-so-distant Spoon strives to support. successes (pages 8-21). Those involved with fundraising Social distancing and self-isolation do not cease statistics and implementing these projects at the time should be relating to child poverty or the increasing number of young rightly proud, but even more so knowing that the actions people grappling with life-limiting illnesses. of yesteryear are continuing to impact on the lives of I recognise these are unprecedented circumstances and thousands today and tomorrow. that you will be rightly concerned about those close to Chronicling what has gone before is important, but just as your own home or be suffering from your own physical or England boss and autobiographer Eddie Jones reflects in this financial toil, but please don’t forget about Wooden Spoon. issue (page 6-7), it is the next chapter that will define us. With fundraising events falling foul of the coronavirus, we And despite the uncertainty surrounding the short-term, need you now more than ever before. all involved with the children’s charity of rugby are working Until we next meet, I hope this edition of Spoonews tirelessly – albeit following government guidance and provides some respite from whatever the realities of working from home wherever possible – to ensure Wooden lockdown mean for you. Enjoy the issue. Spoon’s future is befitting its past. We will do so with the wellbeing of our family – our amazing members, volunteers, regional committees, fundraisers and corporate partners – at the forefront of our minds but with a determination to make a difference to Sarah Webb those lives who need it most. Chief Executive Officer Spring/Summer 2020 3 28 19 INTERVIEW 6 A LOVE LETTER TO RUGBY 14 England’s Eddie Jones considers the next chapter of his sporting story THE LAST DECADE 10 HELPING HAND STILL FELT Therapy rooms continue to bring relief to young people with cerebral palsy 14 RETURN VISIT Wooden Spoon Oxfordshire grants play scheme an encore performance 16 A TOAST TO THE TEAMS OF ONE Individual fundraiser demonstrates remarkable resolve on Snowdon 19 FUNDRAISING GOES GLOBAL 47 Corporate sponsor promotes Wooden Spoon on three continents 40 FUNDED PROJECTS 22 IMMERSIVE INSTALLATION Hydrotherapy pool sees swimming soar in popularity at Abbey Court School 28 LAKESIDE OASIS OPENS Rural retreat offers freebreaks to disadvantaged families 31 FIT FOR PURPOSE Outdoor gym equipment proves an in- demand asset at special school 32 AMBIENT ADDITION Multi-sensory suite wows patients 4 Spring/Summer 2020 woodenspoon.org.uk CONTENTS WOODEN SPOON THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY OF RUGBY Email: [email protected] Tel: 01252 773 720 Fax: 01252 773 721 Write: Sentinel House, Ancells Business Park, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 2UZ Contact details for our regions can be found online, on page 36 and at woodenspoon.org.uk/near-you Content © Wooden Spoon 2020. Registered address: Sentinel House, Ancells Business Park, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UZ. Charity Registration No 326691 (England & Wales) and SC039247 (Scotland). PUBLISHED BY TYLERBALE COMMUNICATIONS Email: [email protected] Tel: 01252 714 870 Write: 10 Borelli Yard, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7NU All rights reserved. 6 AROUND THE REGIONS 37 MILESTONE MEAL SERVED 10 Wooden Spoon Lancashire celebrates 21st anniversary lunch in style 40 RAIN DOESN’T STOP PLAY British weather fails to dampen spirits at annual Sussex fundraiser 41 SCHOLARS’ RUGBY LESSON Suffolk school’s staff, pupils and parents pass sporting masterclass on behalf of 16 Wooden Spoon NEWS 49 47 FAMILY TIES Granddaughter of founder nails her charity colours to the mast 48 HEADLINE ACT Wooden Spoon reaches new readers thanks to national newspaper campaign 49 FIJIAN FORAY FOR FUNDRAISER Sevenoaks student takes to the Twickenham turf for Kilik Cup Spring/Summer 2020 5 “I’d like to be known as a coach that has helped improve the game and helped improve players. If some people say that at the end of my career then I’ll be pretty happy.” “Coaching at international level is a great honour but bringing up your daughter is something you only get one go at.” 6 Spring/Summer 2020 woodenspoon.org.uk INTERVIEW A LOVE LETTER TO RUGBY Candid coach Eddie Jones considers the next chapter of his sporting story NGLAND fans may feel Eddie Jones’ at coaching so the pressure on being a good career and family roots have any bearing on recently released autobiography is dad is a lot more than being a good coach.” his ability to commit wholeheartedly to his Emissing an all-important passage on Citing the conduct of players and fans at chosen cause. leading a team to World Cup glory, but its the World Cup as an example, Eddie believes “My loyalty is always to the team because I author insists his continued commitment to that rugby’s core values help to mitigate love the game,” he said. “I don’t look on it as the Red Rose is not motivated by creating a the stresses and strains of standing on the being patriotic or unpatriotic. dream conclusion for any future memoirs. sidelines and make it an easy sport to be “I love the team and players I am coaching And, despite conceding to being badly passionate about. at the time and I want to do the best thing by bruised by watching his charges come The England boss said: “The way people that group of people.” agonisingly close to lifting the sport’s behave in rugby is universal. Look at what It is an approach that Eddie hopes he will greatest prize in Yokohama last year, nor is happened in Japan; how the Japanese be remembered for following retirement. the revered head coach interested in penning embraced a great mix of nationalities and “I’d like to be known as a coach that has the final chapter of his rugby odyssey any how everyone got on because everyone loves helped improve the game and helped time soon. the game. improve players,” he said. “If some people “I don’t think there is a perfect ending and “The big difference between football and say that at the end of my career then I’ll be I don’t think I’d like to have one,” Eddie told rugby is that football supporters in general pretty happy.” Spoonews when quizzed on where the full love their team whereas rugby supporters In respect of Japan, the straight-talking stop in his sporting plot-line would come. generally love the game. coach already has plenty of reason to feel “I’ve still got plenty of energy, plenty of “Rugby fans love their team but if their content having helped to set in motion the enthusiasm to get better and I’ve still got team doesn’t win it’s not the be all and Brave Blossoms emergence as a serious enough physical power to coach well. end all and I think that is a universal thing rugby force. “I don’t really think it matters what my last about our sport – there are some key values Eddie, who led Japan to the 2015 Rugby coaching job is – it might be the under 15s and once a game has finished, as hard and World Cup and masterminded their shock in Camberley, Surrey or it might be the USA. physical as you have played, it’s then time to victory over the Springboks in Brighton five The reason I coach is because I love the game enjoy each other’s company.” years ago, said: “I’ve been around to various and as long as that love is a central tenet to With Australia, Japan and England already parts of the country and in some areas the what I am doing, then it doesn’t matter who I on his CV, the Antipodean is better placed number of kids playing rugby has increased by am coaching.” than most to comment on the common 25 percent and I would imagine that after this For the time being at least, Eddie’s heart is characteristics shared by rival nations.