BURNTWOOD RFC – Wooden Spoon

As part of Burntwood Rugby Club’s 50^th Anniversary celebrations in season 2022-23, club members, senior and junior, took part in a series of fundraising activities to support the Wooden Spoon, the Children’s Charity of Rugby.

During the season the fundraising total was drip fed from sales of Wooden Spoon merchandise plus contributions from the weekly tote. At the end of the season two specific activities were organised to boost the final sum.

The first was a sponsored walk which covered just short of 30 miles. The route began at Walsall RFC, the club which proposed Burntwood’s affiliation to the Rugby Football Union back in 1972. The first stop was at Tamworth RUFC who had seconded the proposal. Next stop was Lichfield RUFC, where Burntwood played their first match, before the walkers returned to their own clubhouse.

A week later, the spotlight fell on the club’s junior section who took part in a race against a Chasewater Railway train. Two oversized rugby balls were transported around the lake, one around the northern half of the lake on the train and the other carried via a relay squad made up of mini/youth players around the southern half. The colts ran the initial leg before passing the ball on to the younger squads until the Under 9s “scored the try” back at the CCE Sportsway HQ. A sweep on the time difference between the return of the two balls was well-supported on what was also the club’s Presentation Day.

Last Saturday club President Rob Forsyth was pleased to present a cheque for £1,638.25 to the charity’s Staffordshire Chairman Trevor Jenkins before the 1^st team match against Newcastle (Staffs). Rob thanked club members for their efforts and donations.

This season the club’s fundraising efforts will go towards the St. Giles Hospice March of the Elephants project