NEWS
FEEDBACK ON SOS FROM THE POLISH RUGBY PRESIDENT !
“It’s great, that SOS IRB Action came into existence in our country, simultaneously with dynamic developing of rugby in brand-new centers. In last 5 years rugby equipment has been delivered to almost 50 school and teens clubs, and very often it was the one and only material form of help. The new clubs are bringing to life constantly and I’m not able to imagine myself the situation of polish rugby without SOS IRB Kit Aid!” Jan KozłowskiPresident of the Polish Rugby Union
Irish and Lions legend Willie John Mcbride becomes Irish Ambassador for SOS IRB Kit Aid !!
SOS IRB Kit Aid is very pleased to announce that Irish and Lions legend Willie John McBride has kindly agreed to be come SOS IRB Kit Aid's Irish Ambassador. SOS Chairman John Broadfoot is pictured here with Willie at a massive HSBC sponsored junior rugby festival at Cooke RFC at Shaw's Bridge Belfast.He is delighted to endorse SOS and wishes the project all the best in the future. Willie joins our growing band of Lions legends supporting SOS, alongside - Graham Price, Ian(mighty mouse) Mclauchlan, Jonny Wilkinson, and Gareth Chilcott.
Much thanks to Cirencester RFC and our Gareth !
Wonderful picture of stalwarts of Cirecencester RFC making generous kit donation to SOS's South West Ambassador Gareth Chilcott and SOS Regional Director Richard Westaway. Gareth is invaluable to SOS - giving much encouragement, support and kit donations from Gullivers too ! Pictured with Gareth and Richard(Left to Right) are Cirencester's Mike Timbrell, Junior Chairman John Fowler and Tim Thompson. Thanks guys for great kit donation. Hope to see you next year for some more !!
Andy Perry joins SOS as an area kit collector !
We are delighted to welcome on board Andy Perry from Morecambe Lancs. Andy will be covering Cumbria, North Lancs area for SOS under guidance of SOS Northern Directopr Andy Thompson. If you have any kit - Andy can be contacted om 07816-383790(M) anbd his home address is 335, Lancaster Rd, Torrisholme, Morecambe, Lancs LA4 6RH.
SAMURAI CONTINUE SUPPORT
Samurai Sportswear, continue their avid support of the SOS project. We would like to pass on our thanks to....
SOS COMPLETE PICKUPS IN WALES FOR HSBC LIONS COMMUNITY PROGRAMME !
SOS Is delighted to be part of the 2009 HSBC/Lions Community Programme where we are collecting rugby kit from 40 UK/Irish rugby schools and delivering it on behalf of HSBC and the Lions to 40 emerging schools in South Africa. Pictured are SOS's WONDERFUL Welsh team handing over the HSBC/Lions kit collected from Wales. Ken Thomas(on right) is SOS's Welsh Regional Director and kit collectors , Ralph Herdman(glasses) and Alan Jarret(centre) - together they make a passionate, formidable kit collection team in Wales. SOS would be lost without them !
BATH RUGBY HOLD GREAT KIT COLLECTION FOR SOS !
Many thanks to Kate Oram and Bath Rugby who are great supporters of SOS. They held an SOS kit collection at their last home game. Pictured are Ed Williams and Helen Shand from Bath Rugby. Thanks to Ed Williams for a very funny SOS promotional vide on the Bath rugby site . We will put the kit collected to very good use in emerging rugby nations, Many thanks guys - see you next year
VERY GENEROUS KIT DONATION FROM THE RFU !
Big thanks to England's Kit Manager Dave Tunnison for arranging for SOS to receive a massive amount of brand new kit from the England Rugby Team. Dave is pictured handing over the kit to SOS Chairman John Broadfoot at Rugby HQ at Twickenham. The kit is brand new but redundandant, end of season stock and invaluable to SOS - we will put it to very good use thanks to Dave, the RFU and his team.
The donation is absolutely typical of the RFU's wonderful support and generosity over many years. Thanks to the RFU, many children in emerging nations are now playing with ex-RFU kit and many English schools/clubs donate to SOS because of the RFU's support.
Massive thanks to Rugby Expo for donating 300 mini rugby balls !
The Rugby Expo team have kindly donated 300 mini rugby balls to SOS IRB Kit Aid ! The balls, courtesy of Rhino Rugby, were made for the inaugural rugby business convention held last year and we are very grateful for their donation .
Rugby Expo 08 was a great success for all, including ourselves, with the first event featuring representatives from 24 nations and more than 1,000 people passed through the doors over two days. The event attracted key figures in both codes of rugby from around the world, including delegates from many emerging nations who benefit from our services, such as Uganda, Kazakhstan, Russia and Singapore.It was a great opportunity for SOS personnel to meet rugby people/bodies from around the world under one roof and thanks to Rugby Expo sponsorship it was at minimal cost to us.
There were also 43 exhibitors, including ourselves, showcasing their products and services to the industry. The Rugby Expo Dinner, featuring the first Rugby Business Awards, which took place on the middle evening of Rugby Expo, was also an extremely successful occasion. Hosted by Martin Bayfield, our very own SOS ‘supporting celebrity’, the gala dinner celebrated off-field achievements in the rugby industry. “It was an excellent event, rewarding sponsors and other people who drive the game forward behind the scenes. There was a great atmosphere and it was a pleasure to host,” said Bayfield. SOS IRB Kit Aid was amongst the winners, scooping the Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)programme of the Year award, as were Rhino, with Managing Director, Reg Clark, collecting the Rugby Business Person of the Year award. Rugby Expo will return to London this November, bringing together many of the game’s power brokers to discuss the most pressing issues facing rugby. The event will take place at Earls Court exhibition centre, on November 24 – 25, coinciding with the home nations’ Autumn Internationals. The concept of the event is to unite the industry under one roof, in order to network, make new contacts, and debate the state of the game. Built on the strong foundations laid last year, Rugby Expo 09 will offer improvements across the board, including a central networking area, a bespoke conference room for 300 delegates and more interactive features all in a world renowned exhibition and events venue. "It's the first time that rugby as an industry has had a business-to-business conference and exhibition and I think that was lacking. There's Soccerex, which is hugely successful in the football industry, and this is a chance now for anybody involved in the business of rugby to get together, network and do business” said Greg Thomas, Head of Communications at the IRB. Tickets are available NOW. To book and for more information on Rugby Expo 09 please visit www.rugbyexpo.comBIG THANK YOU TO HENLEY HAWKS FOR 200+ SHIRTS !
Massive thanks to the ever generous Henley Hawks for a great donation of 200+ rugby shirts(and boots, tracksuits) held during the massive Oxfordshire County Mini Rugby Festival held at Henley Hawks this weekend. Pictured are Henley's marvellous Youth Chairman Martin Leach handing over the kit to SOS Chairman John Broadfoot in the company of RFU Elite Director Rob Andrew and many Henley Hawks players of the future ! Henley have consistently donated kit very generously throughout SOS's 8 year history. They are a wonderful Community Rugby Club who care about other less priviledged rugby communities in emerging rugby nations around the world. Martin was also Director of the whole Oxfordshire Mini Festival - we are sure he will sleep well on Sunday night ! Thanks again to all the marvellous people at Henley Hawks ! See you next year !
