Veterans’ Foundation funding will help a top-flight rugby club provide Armed Forces veterans in the North West with the skills to make a ‘life changing’ transition to civvy street.
A £20,000 grant will allow the charitable arm of Premiership Rugby Union club, Sale Sharks to offer a programme of social, wellbeing and skills activity to ex-service personnel, delivered in partnership with Walking with the Wounded.
To do this, the Sharks Community Trust will employ a dedicated ‘Veteran Engagement Officer’ to play a leading role in the creation and delivery of a new accessible ‘Sharks Forces Hub’, growing the Trust’s engagement programme for Armed Forces veterans after the impact of COVID-19.
“This grant is so important to Sharks Community Trust as the Armed Forces community is one in which we pride ourselves in the work we undertake,” explained Vicky Irwin, Community Manager at Sharks Community Trust.
“We deliver life changing work to this community and support them with their challenging transition from service to civilian.”
With a vision of using the power of their sport to change lives throughout the North West, the Sharks Community Trust works with a range of public, private and third-sector partners to deliver needs-led projects in community engagement, education and rugby development.
This Veterans’ Foundation grant will allow the Trust to address an influx of service users on their current offering in the North Manchester area and provide immediate support.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Veterans' Foundation and of course to all those who play the Veterans' Lottery,” said Alison Warwood, Chief Executive Officer of Sharks Community Trust.
“Going into 2022, this funding towards staff costs gives everyone here confidence for a positive future for Sharks Community Trusts work within the veteran community,” she added.
“Thank you to the Veterans' Foundation, everyone who donates and plays the Veterans' Lottery!”
The grant is one of 50 awarded by the Veterans’ Foundation in the last round of grants, totalling a huge £1.1 million – the first time the Foundation have given a seven-figure sum in a quarter.
It means that the Veterans’ Foundation have now given over £9.1 million in grants to more than 290 UK-based military charities since inception in 2016.
All of the grants are made possible by generous donors and the players of the Veterans’ Lottery, who not only support our veterans in need, but are also in with a chance to win £35,000 every month.
To play the Veterans’ Lottery and contribute to helping many other brilliant causes around the UK just like this, click here.
To find out more about Sharks Community Trust and their excellent programmes, please visit https://www.salesharks.com/community/.
