Wooden Spoon is a grant-making charity funding life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland. We exist to help the 1.2 million children living with a disability, the 30% of children growing up in poverty, and the 3 million children experiencing mental health issues to live their best lives.

Since 1983, with the support of the rugby community, from grassroots clubs to national unions, we have awarded over £34 million in grants, positively impacting more than 2 million children and young people who are disadvantaged, disenfranchised, or living with additional needs.

By harnessing the power of the rugby family, we inspire participation, raise funds, and create inclusive opportunities for young people

Our work is shaped around four core themes : Giving children the chance to: Play, Learn, Thrive and Be Safe.

Across all four themes, we fund sensory rooms and gardens, specialist medical and sports equipment, playgrounds, sports programmes, health and wellbeing initiatives and education projects.

Working in partnership with local organisations and the rugby family, we create inclusive, safe environments, giving every child the chance to play, learn, thrive and be safe.

We need your help more than ever as more children need our help.

We are asking you, the rugby community, and our incredible supporters, to come together, in the true spirit of rugby and help us change young peoples’ lives.

The woeful performance of England during the 1983 Five Nations Rugby Championship is where the story of our history begins.

After watching their side condemned to the bottom of the tournament table with a 25-15 defeat to Ireland at Landsdowne Road, five England supporters seeking solace in a Dublin bar were presented with a wooden spoon, wrapped in an Irish scarf, on a silver platter.

Accepting the gift with good humour and grace, the group resolved to hold a golf match to see who would have the honour of keeping the tongue-in-cheek gift.

Just a few months later, the round at Farnham Golf Club in Surrey raised more than £8,500, with the money used to provide a new minibus for a local special needs school.

Stirred into action by a rugby routing, Wooden Spoon was born. Since then, we have been supporting children with disabilities or facing disadvantage.

Thank you for helping us to continue funding life-changing projects for children and young people.

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