As we return from another Rugbytots bike ride, our 8th in fact, it is amazing to look back over the last six months and see the effort that has gone in to fundraising this year, currently standing at £185k and counting, all in aid of Wooden Spoon – the children’s charity of rugby.
If we can reach the £200k mark, this will put our total fundraising since we started at close to £700k with NSPCC and Wooden Spoon. This year has seen a new record thanks to the amazing work of our Rugbytots, their parents and our franchisees and coaches all over the UK. When this is added to the funds raised by our bike riders it is quite staggering. A mention must also go to Rugbytots head office staff – Hannah did an incredible job managing all the direct class try-athlons and liaising with Wooden Spoon and Aimee was instrumental in pulling the bike ride together. Well done RTHQ team!
Someone asked me at a recent meeting what we get out of raising so much money. I explained that its potentially sensory rooms, special adapted playgrounds, horses for the RDA. specialist cots for terminally ill babies and so on. It was not the answer they were looking for! They wanted to know what we actually get out of it, whether we have thought about putting a value on the publicity and questioning why we do not work with a agency to help make more of it “but what PR are you getting out of it”? “You must maximise the potential after putting in so much time and effort”?.
I’m not totally naive and understand how these things work but it has never been our motivation at Rugbytots. We raised £200k for NSPCC almost completely under the radar. Giving to others less fortunate than you is the biggest buzz. Giving over the cheques and then seeing where the money goes and having an influence over the projects, as we do with Wooden Spoon, is totally addictive and its enough for me that the people who raised the money get to see where it is spent. Of course there is a huge plus side to publicity as it raises awareness for the charity and potentially helps future events and fundraising initiatives but for me, the fact we can change the lives of so many children and their families is enough.
Wooden Spoon are an amazing charity and the next 12 months will be very exciting as we get to work using these funds and cycling down to Paris in 40 degree heat will all seem very worthwhile. Well done to everyone involved – you have been part of something rather special.
This entry was posted on 3rd July 2019.