Barns Green RFC Launches Partnership with Wooden Spoon, the Children's Charity of Rugby

Bob Rogers (on the left) Chairman of the Sussex Branch of the Wooden Spoon presenting the shield to (centre) Vice President Alan Lambkin and (on the right) Club Captain Mark Brown. Photo by Ian McBean Photography.

Over the coming years the club will continue to support the charity, the Sussex branch of which funds projects across Sussex in support of disabled and disadvantaged children and young people, including local projects such as those at the QE2 School and Springboard Centre, both in Horsham.

Bill Bailey President of BGRFC said “'Barns Green Rugby Club are really delighted and honoured to be selected as a Charity Partner of The Wooden Spoon. Our association as a village with this children's charity goes back to 1993 when members of the cricket and rugby club, along with close friends sent a team to West London to complete a fund raising fire walk organised by the Spoon and in the same year the charity provided a celebrity team to play cricket on the village green.

Recently, and for the past nine years, through the efforts of the Viney family we have extended this relationship and as a rugby club feel privileged to have been asked to become a partner.”

In the past decade, Sussex Wooden Spoon - part of the national Wooden Spoon organisation founded in 1983 - has raised around £400,000 for capital projects in Sussex. Most are in special needs schools and provide improved facilities for children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities living in Sussex. Funds have been raised through numerous events including rugby club raffles, collections and tournaments (like the Simon Viney 7s at Barns Green), running National Wooden Spoon Golf Tournament, in which Barns Green RFC were one of the Sussex representatives, on 26th Septmber on a glorious day at Ifield GC.in marathons, an annual golf day, evenings at the races, annual lunches at Sussex Sharks Cricket and, at Christmas, on Brighton Pier, and before the Rugby World Cup games at the Amex Stadium in October 2015. We celebrated our tenth anniversary in October 2016 with a three day cycle ride connecting all the projects we’d supported and have continued to fundraise since.

Sussex Wooden Spoon Chair, Bob Rogers commented: 'Having worked together for nine years in the Simon Viney 7s, we are delighted to cement our formal friendship. On a glorious 26th September day at Ifield GC, following the National Wooden Spoon Golf Tournament in which Barns Green RFC were amongst the Sussex representatives, I was very pleased to present Barns Green with their partnership plaque. I very much look forward to our partnership developing even further in the future.'

Please click on www.woodenspoon.org.uk for more information on Wooden spoon nationally and in Sussex.

Barns Green's season is now well under way with weekly training on the new RFU Artificial Grass Pitch in Horsham under floodlighting: O2 Mixed Touch Team from 7-8 and the 1st XV from 7.45 until 9pm. Training is every Wednesday so, if you fancy joining the either Team and enjoy a very sociable side with Fitness, please just turn up. For more information contact Bill on 07802-642411.

Our first home game of the season is vs St Jacques Vikings, who are coming all the way from Guernsey to play at Itchingfield on Saturday 6th October. It will be preceded at 1230 by a Vice Presidents Lunch in the Queens Head. If you wish to join as a VP please contact Ian on 07785-953266.

The club would like to thank the following for their generous sponsorship and support of the new 1st Team Playing Kit: Auto Team, Newport Paper, Herrings and Son, Signcorp, West Sussex Drones and Bison Strength & Fitness. Also a big thanks to the Club VPs for raising a considerable sum for the mixed Touch Team kit.