Rugby on Everest – Two years on
Today marks exactly two years since Wooden Spoon broke the Guinness World Record for playing the highest game of rugby in history, on Mount Everest.
ON 30 APRIL 2019, our 27 intrepid adventurers broke the record for playing the highest game of rugby ever at 6,331m above sea level. The game builds on an earlier record set by the group for the highest ever game of touch rugby at 5,119m.
The LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby challengers raised an incredible £200,000 in net funds, helping the children’s charity of rugby to donate a record £1.3 million to life-changing projects for vulnerable children in the financial year 2019-2020.
The challenge also helped Wooden Spoon win The Telegraph Christmas Appeal, which generated the charity just shy of £165,000, which was used to support small local charities through the COVID-19 crisis.
THE IMPACT
The funds raised from the challenge has gone on to directly support a range of projects across the UK, making a real difference to the lives of children and young people with disabilities or facing disadvantage.
WEST ROAD PRIMARY SCHOOL – MULTI-USE GAMES AREA
Pupils being educated in Moorends near Doncaster have seen their school’s sports provision transformed by the creation of an outdoor Multi Use Games Area. Part funded by a £20,000 donation from Wooden Spoon Yorkshire, the new facilities mean students attending West Road Primary School can now enjoy activities such as basketball, cricket, football, netball and tennis all year round.
Previously, opportunities for outdoor exercise at the school – which is located in an area where the proportion of pupils known to be disadvantaged is almost twice the national average – were limited by a boggy sports field that became inaccessible in bad weather and prevented West Road children from hosting community events such as inter-school tournaments.
COVENTRY RUGBY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION – SPECIALIST SPORTS WHEELCHAIRS
The £12,800 donation made by Wooden Spoon Warwickshire to Coventry Rugby Community Foundation has paid for three rugby wheelchairs, giving 60 young people access to the game from special schools in the area.
“These four new chairs will have such a big impact on the club. Not only will they allow us to recruit more players and build a bigger and stronger team, but they’ll also allow us to raise more awareness for the sport at open days and events.”
This project was helped by Robin Callaway, one of our Everest challengers, who donated his fundraising from the Everest rugby challenge. You can read more about this project on page 13 of the latest edition of Spoonews, here.
ST. PHILIP’S SCHOOL – A FOREST CLASSROOM
St. Philip’s School in Chessington is a state funded school for children aged between 11 and 19 with special needs.
An £11,000 donation from Wooden Spoon Surrey provided an outdoor learning space that also links to a market garden within the school. Pupils were involved in the design helping increase their confidence, build independence and learn new skills.
Due to lockdown restrictions, the Everest challengers were not able to help build the project but the ex-military mentors from leadership and development company, Fusion Community Initiatives were on hand to deliver the build safely and successfully.
Photo credit: Fusion Community Initiatives
WE WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO
Our title sponsors: LMAX Exchange
Our corporate sponsors: Cox Automotive, VM Ware, OPRO, Gilbert, O’Neill’s Citycise, HCA Healthcare, UK Gym Equipment and ROC Technologies.
Our media partners: World Rugby TV and Brazil.
And our amazing challengers: Ollie Phillips, Tamara Taylor, Shane Williams, Lee Mears, Matt Mitchell, James O’Malley, Ben Harvey, David Fenton, Graham Allen, Huw Lougher, Jess Cheesman, John Curtis, Jon Ingarfield, Jude McKelvey, Lesley Davies, Roger Davies, Mark Ackred, Mark Dean, Matt Franklin, Miles Hayward, Nick Stevenson, Paul Jordan, Rob Callaway, Viv Worrall, Roger Davies and Simon Wright.
There are lots of ways you can help Wooden Spoon support more vulnerable families during these challenging times. You can donate, join our membership scheme or get fundraising.
