Wooden Spoon Society

Schools and not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding through the Wooden Spoon Society’s Capital Grants programme. Wooden Spoon is a British and Irish Rugby charity that supports projects that help mentally and physically disadvantaged children under the cognitive age of 25. Each year, the charity supports around 70 projects.

Through the programme, funding is available for:

•          Buildings and extensions
•          Equipment and activity aids
•          Sensory rooms and gardens
•          Playgrounds and sports areas
•          Soft playrooms.

The funding available is for capital items only and will not support revenue costs such as staffing and other ongoing costs. There is no maximum grant limit, but projects under £5,000 are unlikely to be considered. Wooden Spoon’s contribution may be
up to 100% of the cost, though beneficiary organisations will be encouraged, where practicable, to raise a proportion themselves. 

Since its founding in 1983, the Wooden Spoon Society has awarded over £31 million in grants to more than 1,400 projects.

If a project is educational, health and wellbeing or disability sports-focused, a key sport (preferably rugby) element must be used to engage children and young people.

Projects funded in the past have included:

• Ashmount School in Leicestershire received a grant of £13,500 towards a sensory room.
• Enfield Heights Academy in London received a grant of £23,000 to improve its play areas.
• The Colehill & Wimborne Youth & Community Centre received a grant of £8,000 towards a wheelchair lift.

Click here to find out more.