Firms sign up to help raise money for Wolves charity (From Warrington Guardian)

Firms sign up to help raise money for Wolves charity

10:10am Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News

A SCHEME to raise vital money for the Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation has launched.

Nine companies have already signed up to become patrons and the charity hopes that more will now give their support.

Under the scheme, businesses pledge £600 each year to help fund the work of the foundation.

Clr Terry O’Neill, council leader, is chairman of the charity.

He said: “We want to try to maximise the Wolves Foundation for the town. The £600 will allow it to continue to deliver the services we do.”

They include rugby skills training sessions, dance classes and disabled sport sessions.

A group of young trustees help with decision making and are currently fundraising for a second trip to the Gambia in March to help teach rugby league and work with children there.

The idea was presented to members of the town’s business community on Thursday at a launch event at The Halliwell Jones Stadium .

Tony Smith, head of coaching and rugby, said he was delighted to support the project and that for the players, supporting the charity was a chance for them to develop as people.

He added: “The benefits for me as a coach is that when the players are involved with the foundation, you get better people to work with.

“And the community gets to know the players and can be proud of them.

£You get a real buy in from the players – they want to be involved.”

For more information and to get involved visit wolvesfoundation.com

 

• FOR coach Jake Francis Ryder, working at the foundation has given him the chance to turn his life around.

The 21-year-old from Orford teaches rugby and football as part of the Try Hard scheme, giving confidence to teens growing up in the town.

During a course at Warrington Collegiate Jake got in trouble with the law and believes programmes like the ones he delivers today could have kept him on the right path.

He added: “I came from a tough background, I am not proud of what I did but it made me who I am today.

“Try Hard helps young people from backgrounds like I had.”

He spoke at Thursday’s patrons launch with youngsters Anthony Dakin, aged 16, Callum Bennicke, aged 16, and Mike Bourke, aged 18.

Jake said that before completing the course, which includes free running and football, none of them would have had the confidence to speak at such an event.

He added: “The confidence from doing this is amazing. There is no way any of these lads could have done this a few months ago and look at them now. We are like a family and work for each other.

“I have used my experiences to help these lads.

“And I think we have proved that if you have a dream, you can achieve it.”