The Warriors Community Foundation – the charitable arm of Worcester Warriors – has today published the latest information about how it helped young people and organisations across the region during the 2011/12 season.
The Foundation was created in 2010 to build a legacy for sport, education, health and social cohesion across the communities within our reach. The Foundation utilises the Warriors brand, iconic status, players and professional staff to engage and inspire young people through the power of sport to lead an active, healthy and rewarding lifestyle.
Cecil Duckworth OBE, Chairman at Warriors, said: “It is our philosophy and belief that in order to build a successful business, you must build safe, strong and healthy communities.
“With the launch of the Foundation in 2010 we have been able to unlock opportunities to raise additional funds to increase the number of young people we support by creating new programmes that directly address current social issues.
“We work with local schools to help re-engage young people. Utilising our own Study Centre here at Sixways, we focus on life skills. Our Community coaches work off-site at schools, clubs and universities, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to get involved with rugby.
“Our commitment to local charities is also stronger than ever and we are constantly looking at ways to improve and expand.”
Highlights from the latest report from the Warriors Community Foundation include:
- We hosted 3,719 children on match day experiences.
- Over 260 community coaches attended Coach Education Evenings.
- We delivered Rugby Camps to 567 aspiring young players.
- Our players gave 550 hours of time and attended 275 events.
- Hundreds took part in the sixth annual Touch Rugby competition.
Coaches from Warriors also delivered the Aviva Premiership Rugby Schools programme – to grow participation in the sport, help develop and inspire the next generation of rugby players – to 50 local schools and over 3,000 children.
The Community Foundation has also worked closely with local businesses while the Walk Like A Warrior initiative – the Foundation's flagship programme – continues to grow. The 10-week initiative takes place at Sixways and offers students the opportunity to work in our Study Centre and take part in outdoor activity. We welcomed eight schools and over 80 children last season through this project.
Our official charity partner is Acorns Children's Hospice. Acorns offers a network of specialist care and support to children and young people who have life limited or life threatening illnesses, and their families. Warriors has a long history of working with Acorns and in 2011 entered a formal partnership that includes direct fundraising, gifts in kind, players appearances and visits to the hospice, staff volunteering and a dedicated charity match day.
The first year of the partnership has exceeded all expectations and when all quantifiable information is brought together Warriors has contributed over £108,00o to Acorns in the 2011/12 season.
Warriors also works with other local charities through our Community Foundation. In 2011/12 the club's Charity Lounge – reserved for use for charities on home games – was used by 3,316 people from 27 different charities and community organisations. Additionally, over 227 charities and community organisations have been gifted 3,396 match day tickets for use in raffles and auctions to lever valuable funds.
The financial value of our gifts to charity exceeded £118,668, added to our partnership value with Acorns means we contributed £226,000 and supported over 289 local charities and organisations in 2011/12.
Carol Hart, from the Warriors Community Foundation, said: “The Warriors Community Foundation is pleased to release its round-up of off-the-field activity undertaken during the 2011/2012 season. This includes the work we do with the local community, schools, clubs and charities.
“Our supporters have contributed enormously to the success of the Warriors Foundation and we hope this season to increase our overall impact of society across all areas of operation. Thank you for your continued support.”
Fans attending the club's pre-season games with Rotherham Titans tonight (Tuesday, August 21) and Plymouth Albion on Friday, August 24 gain free entry but can make a donation to the Warriors Community Foundation on the gate.
To read the report, produced in conjunction with Modus, official partner to the Warriors Community Foundation, please click HERE